. .    .... 


'    I   «    ' 

«       '    '  «   t  I     '  ,  <     < 

<     ,  c  t    «  «        t 


,  ,    f     «   «     »      «         « 


William  F.  McCombs 

The  President  Maker 


By 
MAURICE  F.  LYONS 

Secretary  to  Mr.  McCombs  during  the  Prenomination 
and  Presidential  Campaigns  of  1911-1912 


% 


CINCINNATI 
THE    BANCROFT    COMPANY 


Copyright,  1922,  by 
Maurice  F.  Lyons. 

All  Rights  Reserved. 


Contents 


Chapter  Page 

Foreword 7 

I.   The  Prenomination  Campaign     ...     11 
II.   The  Baltimore  Convention     ....     78 

III.  The  Presidential  Campaign     .    .    .    .108 

IV.  The  Matter  of  the  French  Ambas- 

sadorship, Etc 129 

V.   Conclusion 145 


48 


Illustrations 

Page 

William  F.  McCombs Frontispiece 

Woodrow  Wilson 38 

Wm.  Jennings  Bryan 78 

E.  M.  House 24 

WlLLARD   SAULSBURY    .     .  117 

Wm.  G.  McAdoo 102 

A.  Mitchell  Palmer 102 

Maurice  F.  Lyons 117 

Roger  Sullivan 102 

Henry  Morgenthau 117 

Walker  W.  Vick 126 

T.  P.  Gore 117 

Abram  I.  Elkus      102 

Josephus  Daniels      126 

A.  S.  Burleson 126 

Joseph  E.  Davies 126 

Facsimile  of  part  of  message  from  Gov- 
ernor Wilson  to  Wm.  J.  Bryan  ....     90 

Facsimile  of  letter  of  Wm.  F.  McCombs 

ACCEPTING   THE    FRENCH   AMBASSADORSHIP.    133 

5 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

Facsimile  of  letter  of  Wm.  F.  McCombs 
to  President-elect  Wilson  on  March 

4,    1913,   AND   REPLY 135 

Facsimile  of  letter  of  Wm.  F.  McCombs 
to  Maurice  F.  Lyons 141 


Foreword 

IN  the  early  part  of  1911,  a  young  lawyer 
with  an  extremely  boyish  face  sat  at 
his  desk  delving  into  a  mass  of  political 
correspondence.  The  fates  then  had  de- 
creed that  while  he  was  to  realize  his  ideal 
in  bringing  about  the  nomination  and 
election  of  Woodrow  Wilson,  Governor  of 
New  Jersey  and  previously  his  favorite 
instructor  at  Princeton  College,  he  was 
later  to  suffer  keen  disappointment,  cul- 
minating in  an  illness  the  result  of  which 
would  be  fatal. 

The  very  being  of  William  F.  McCombs 
centered  in  his  admiration  for  the  New 
Jersey  Governor. 

Allow  me  to  quote  from  an  article  which 
he  prepared  for  one  of  the  magazines  early 

in  the  year  1912: 

7 


FOREWORD 

"Long  before  he  became  Governor  he 
had  arrived  at  a  conception  of  the  forces 
that  control  this  great  Nation,  which  con- 
ception has  guided  him  since  he  became 
a  famous  Governor  of  a  great  State.*** 
Those  who  have  known  Woodrow  Wilson 
during  the  years  of  his  activities  before  he 
took  public  office  are  surprised  neither  at 
his  effectiveness  nor  his  ideas  upon  the 
fundamentals  of  Government.***  I  have 
known  Woodrow  Wilson  not  only  as 
Governor  of  New  Jersey,  but  as  a  student 
in  his  class  room  and  as  a  friend.*** 
Wilson  is  a  red-blooded  man;  he  is  a 
fighting  man;  he  is  the  young  man's 
man.*** 

Mr.  McCombs  was  a  cripple.  He  was 
very  sensitive  of  his  affliction.  His  sister, 
Mrs.  Corinne  Hardy,  told  me  on  one  occa- 
sion that  when  he  was  a  baby  an  irrespon- 
sible nurse  allowed  him  to  fall  from  his 
carriage,  the  result  of  which  maimed  him 
for  life.  He  himself  related  to  me  one  night 
shortly  after  the  election  of  Governor 
Wilson,  how  he  had  suffered  to  make  his 
way  through  preparatory  school;  how  he 


FOREWORD 

later  determined  to  go  through  Princeton; 
how  he  came  North  hobbling  into  the 
University  on  crutches;  how  he  gradually 
learned  to  walk  with  the  aid  of  a  specially- 
constructed  shoe,  and  how  he  emerged 
victorious  over  all  obstacles,  eventually 
receiving  the  degree  of  Master  of  Laws 
from  Harvard  University. 

William  F.  McCombs  passed  to  the  Great 
Beyond  just  a  short  time  before  President 
Wilson  retired  from  office,  leaving  his 
autobiography,  which  has  been  published. 

During  the  summer  of  1914  he  and  I 
were  the  guests  of  former  Collector  of 
Internal  Revenue  Edwards,  known  by  the 
more  familiar  title  of  "Big  Bill",  at  his 
camp  in  Connecticut,  and  it  was  there,  after 
our  host  had  departed  and  left  us  in  com- 
mand, that  he  told  me  of  his  desire  to  write 
his  memoirs  of  the  prenomination  and 
presidential  campaigns,  of  which  he  had 
been  Manager  and  Chairman,  respectively, 

and  during  which  I  had  been  his  secretary. 

9 


FOREWORD 

'  Happily,  I  was  in  a  position  materially 
to  assist  him,  inasmuch  as  I  had  retained 
voluminous  notes,  my  diaries,  and  copies 
of  important  papers. 

But  I  find  upon  publication  that  much 
of  Mr.  McCombs'  biography  is  incomplete, 
in  that  many  facts  have  been  omitted  and 
there  is  error  in  certain  statements. 
"Fiat  Justitia  Ruat  Caelum." 

Maurice  F.  Lyons. 


10 


William  F.  McCombs 

The  President  Maker 


CHAPTER  I. 
The  Prenomination  Campaign 

DURING  the  spring  of  1911,  I  was  re- 
quested to  call  upon  Mr.  Frank 
Parker  Stockbridge,  the  well-known  news- 
paperman, with  a  view  to  becoming  con- 
nected with  a  movement,  the  object  of 
which  was  to  endeavor  to  bring  about  the 
nomination  of  Woodrow  Wilson,  Governor 
of  New  Jersey,  for  the  Presidency  in  1912. 
The  headquarters  were  in  the  Columbian 
Apartments,  157th  Street  and  Broadway, 
New  York  City,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Stockbridge,  who  at  the  time  was  carrying 
on  a  correspondence  with  officials  of  clubs 

in  various  cities  of  the  West,  to  the  effect 

11 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

that  Governor  Wilson  was  to  make  an 
extended  trip  through  that  part  of  the 
country,  and  inquiring  whether  reception 
committees  could  be  appointed  and  ar- 
rangements perfected  with  a  view  to  having 
the  Governor  address  the  club  members  on 
questions  of  the  day. 

I  shortly  had  the  pleasure  of  an  intro- 
duction to  the  General  of  the  movement, 
in  the  person  of  Mr.  Wm.  F.  McCombs,  a 
Member  of  the  Bar,  whose  office  was 
located  at  96  Broadway,  and  who  was  busily 
engaged  in  attempting  to  procure  funds 
which  the  Governor's  trip  would  entail.  He 
told  me  later  that  he  had  been  unsuccessful 
in  his  quest  and  had  underwritten  the 
amount. 

Within  a  month  Governor  Wilson  started 
westward,  speaking  before  large  assem- 
blages in  Kansas  City,  Denver,  Los  Angeles, 
San  Francisco,  Seattle,  and  Portland,  the 
writer  having  arranged  his  itinerary. 

Mr.  McCombs  did  not  accompany  the 
12 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Governor,  but  sought  relaxation  at  the 
Hotel  Waumbeck,  Jefferson,  N.  H.,  where 
he  met  Mr.  Louis  Wiley  of  the  New  York 
Times,  and  others,  with  all  of  whom  he  con- 
ferred as  to  the  movement  then  under  way 
and  the  opportunity  to  nominate  a  man 
who  could  be  elected,  and  thus  place  in  the 
White  House  the  first  Democratic  President 
in  sixteen  years.  Mr.  McCombs  told  me 
later  that  the  suggestions  which  he  received 
from  Mr.  Wiley  were  of  great  benefit  and 
assistance. 

Governor  Wilson's  trip  was  very  suc- 
cessful, for  irrespective  of  the  differences  of 
opinion  as  to  the  effect  of  this  speech  or 
that,  the  presidential  ball  was  actually  set 
in  motion. 

It  was  now  decided  that  the  head- 
quarters should  be  enlarged  and  they  were 
removed  to  West  38th  Street,  but  the  sur- 
roundings were  deemed  to  be  unsuitable, 
and  within  a  few  weeks  the  final  move  was 

made   to   42   Broadway,   from   which   the 

13 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

speeches  of  the  Governor  that  had  been  put 
into  pamphlet  form  were  disseminated  by 
tens  of  thousands. 

Mr.  McCombs  was  now  carrying  on  an 
extended  correspondence  and  receiving  as- 
surances of  support  for  Governor  Wilson 
from  leaders  in  the  Pacific  Coast  States, 
the  Dakotas,  Minnesota,  Wisconsin,  and 
some  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  States. 

Orders  were  given  to  employ  further  help, 
the  clerical  force  was  augmented,  and 
Mr.  Walter  Measday,  a  reporter  who  had 
formerly  been  with  one  of  the  large  dailies, 
was  engaged  to  accompany  the  Governor 
on  all  his  speech-making  tours  and  attend 
to  giving  them  maximum  publicity. 

The  furnishing  of  plate  matter  for  the 

press  was  out  of  the  question,  there  being 

insufficient  funds,  but  a  paper  known  as  a 

clipping  sheet  was  circulated  among  the 

Democratic      and      Independent      papers 

throughout    the    country,    the    editors    of 

which  were  requested  to  clip  the  items  they 

14 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

desired  to  use  and  set  their  own  type.  The 
plan  proved  to  be  very  successful. 

The  movement  was  given  further  impetus 
by  the  adoption  of  a  resolution  by  the  two 
Democratic  factions  in  Pennsylvania,  which, 
irrespective  of  their  local  antagonisms,  de- 
cided to  support  the  Princeton  School- 
master in  the  next  national  convention. 
The  publicity  derived  from  this  action  was 
very  helpful  and  Governor  Wilson  was  as- 
sured of  over  seventy  votes  from  the 
Pennsylvania  Delegation  more  than  a  year 
before  he  required  them. 

The  correspondence  grew  enormously. 
Mail  was  received  and  taken  away  from 
headquarters  by  the  sackload,  and  in  many 
instances  wagons  were  essential  to  dispose 
of  it. 

Mr.  McCombs  was  steadily  but  surely 
creating  public  sentiment  for  the  New 
Jersey  Governor. 

In  the  evenings  conferences  were  held 
with  other  pioneers  in  the  movement,  at 

15 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

his  rooms  in  the  Royalton  on  West  44th 
Street,  New  York  City,  among  whom  was 
Senator  T.  P.  Gore  of  Oklahoma,  whose 
counsel  was  always  eagerly  sought.  It  was 
there  one  evening  that  Mr.  McCombs  re- 
lated to  us  of  his  having  visited  the  Gov- 
ernor early  in  the  year,  calling  his  attention 
to  a  telegram  in  which  he  (McCombs)  pre- 
dicted Governor  Wilson's  election  to  the 
Presidency,  and  that  the  Governor  replied: 

"Let  the  Prophet  fulfill  the  prophecy." 

During  the  month  of  July  a  great  deal  of 

good  publicity  was  obtained  through   the 

attack  on  Governor  Wilson  by  Chairman 

James  Nugent  of  the  New  Jersey  State 

Committee,    during   which   he    called    the 

Governor  a  liar  and  an  ingrate,  and  was 

ultimately  deposed.     Mr.  Nugent  was  the 

nephew  of  former  Senator  James  Smith,  Jr., 

known  as  "Dictator  of  the  State",  whom 

Governor  Wilson  had  refused  to  tolerate 

as    a    candidate    for    the    United    States 

16 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Senate,  on  the  ground  that  under  the  Sen- 
atorial Preference  Primary  Law,  enacted  in 
New  Jersey  in  the  year  1907,  James  E. 
Martine  had  been  designated  as  the  Sen- 
atorial candidate.  Senator  Smith  and  his 
friends  had  financed  the  Governor's  cam- 
paign in  the  sum  of  approximately  $75,000. 
Mr.  McCombs  requested  that  I  obtain 
for  him  a  copy  of  the  debate  between 
Professor  Wilson,  the  Democratic  candidate, 
and  George  L.  Record,  the  Progressive 
candidate,  referring  to  former  Senator 
Smith,  which  is  as  follows: 

By  Mr.  Record :  Q.  Do  you  admit  that  the  boss 
system  exists  as  I  have  described  it?  If  so,  how 
do  you  propose  to  abolish  it? 

By  Mr.  Wilson:  A.  Of  course  I  admit  it.  Its 
existence  is  notorious.  I  have  made  it  my  business 
for  many  years  to  observe  and  understand  that 
system,  and  I  hate  it  as  thoroughly  as  I  under- 
stand it.  You  are  quite  right  in  saying  that  the 
system  is  bi-partisan;  that  it  constitutes  the  most 
dangerous  condition  in  the  public  life  of  our  State 
and  Nation  to-day;  and  that  it  has  virtually  for 
the  time  being  destroyed  representative  govern- 
2  17 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

ment  and  in  its  place  set  up  a  government  of 
privilege.  I  would  propose  to  abolish  it  by  the 
reforms  suggested  in  the  Democratic  Platform, 
by  the  election  to  office  of  men  who  will  refuse  to 
submit  to  it,  and  who  will  lend  all  their  energies 
to  break  it  up  by  pitiless  publicity. 

By  Mr.  Record :  Q.  In  referring  to  the  Board  of 
Guardians,  do  you  mean  such  Republican  leaders 
as  Baird,  Murphy,  Kean,  and  Stokes?  Wherein 
do  the  relations  of  the  special  interests  of  such 
leaders  differ  from  the  relation  of  the  same  in- 
terests of  such  Democratic  leaders  as  Smith, 
Nugent,  and  Davis? 

By  Mr.  Wilson:  A.  I  refer  to  the  men  you 
named.  I  mean  Smith,  Nugent,  and  Davis. 
They  differ  from  the  others  in  this,  that  they  are 
in  control  of  the  government  of  the  State,  while 
the  others  are  not,  and  cannot  be  if  the  present 
Democratic  ticket  is  elected. 

By  Mr.  Record:  Q.  Will  you  join  me  in  de- 
nouncing the  Democratic  "overlords"  as  parties 
to  a  political  boss  system? 

By  Mr.  Wilson:  A.  Certainly  I  will  join  you  or 
any  one  else,  in  denouncing  and  fighting  every  and 
any  one  of  either  party  who  attempts  any  outrages 
against  the  government  and  public  morality. 

The  bosses  had  been  challenged  by  the 

man  whose  nomination  they  had  brought 

about.    Ears  had  they,  but  they  heard  not. 

18 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

It  was  during  the  month  of  September, 
1911,  that  Mr.  William  G.  McAdoo  first 
called  upon  Mr.  McCombs  at  96  Broadway 
and  offered  his  services  in  behalf  of  Gov- 
ernor Wilson.  From  that  time  until  after 
the  Baltimore  Convention  the  two  gentle- 
men worked  in  complete  harmony,  and  there 
was  hardly  an  important  move  made  by 
Mr.  McCombs  until  he  had  been  in  touch 
with  Mr.  McAdoo  and  either  obtained  his 
advice  or  arranged  an  appointment  so  that 
they  could  confer  and  reach  a  decision. 

The  "sinews  of  war"  were  running  very 
low  indeed,  as  I  recall,  during  the  latter  part 
of  September  and  the  first  part  of  October, 
and  the  wherewith  to  maintain  the  clerical 
force  and  pay  other  expenses  of  the  organ- 
ization was  advanced  by  Mr.  McCombs 
personally. 

Irrespective   of  financial   conditions,   he 

conceived  the  idea  of  having  a  "Woodrow 

Wilson  Weekly"  issued  for  dissemination 

and  arranged  with  the  Trenton  True  Amer- 

19 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

ican,  of  Trenton,  N.  J.,  to  issue  from  five 
to  ten  thousand  additional  copies  of  the 
paper  each  Friday,  one  page  of  which  was 
to  contain  nothing  but  excerpts  from 
speeches  of  the  Governor  and  from  articles 
that  appeared  in  the  larger  dailies,  with 
respect  to  his  availability  as  a  Presidential 
candidate.  The  list  of  newspapers  and 
followers  to  whom  it  was  desired  the  paper 
be  sent  was  forwarded  to  the  editor,  who 
attended  to  the  mailing  of  them. 

This  business  did  not,  however,  assist 
the  paper  materially,  for  within  four  or  five 
months  its  financial  condition  was  such 
that  a  receivership  was  apparent.  Mr. 
McCombs  then  prevailed  upon  Mr.  Cleve- 
v  land  H.  Dodge,  a  staunch  supporter  of  the 
Governor  and  who  held  a  controlling  in- 
terest in  the  sheet,  to  keep  it  running  "for 
the  sake  of  the  cause",  and  an  embarrass- 
ing situation  was  averted. 

About  this  time  Mr.   McCombs  heard 
20 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

that  Colonel  Watterson,  Editor  of  the 
Louisville  Courier- Journal,  was  stopping 
at  the  Waldorf-Astoria.  Like  a  war  horse 
rearing  at  the  smell  of  powder  McCombs 
made  for  Thirty-fourth  Street  and  Fifth 
Avenue,  for  he  lacked  money,  oh,  how  he 
lacked  money!  But  after  the  Colonel  had 
suggested  Thomas  F.  Ryan  as  the  good 
angel  and  volunteered  to  see  him  at  his 
home  in  Virginia,  Mr.  McCombs  concluded 
that  such  a  contribution  would  be  of  ir- 
reparable injury  to  Governor  Wilson's  can- 
didacy, and  later  stated  to  me  that  he  had 
refused  it. 

During  the  month  of  December,  the 
famous  Harvey- Watterson- Wilson  contro- 
versy arose  at  the  Manhattan  Club  in  New 
York  City,  and  was  brought  on  by  the  con- 
viction of  Governor  Wilson  that  Harper's 
Weekly,  though  strongly  espousing  his  can- 
didacy, was  injuring  it,   and  upon  being 

asked  by  Mr.  Harvey  whether  he  thought 

21 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

this  to  be  a  fact,  replied  that  he  thought  it 
was.  Whereupon  Harvey  published  a  state- 
ment in  Harper's  Weekly,  setting  forth  that 

"The  name  of  Woodrow  Wilson  as  our  candidate 
for  President  was  taken  down  from  the  head  of  these 
columns  in  response  to  a  statement  made  to  us 
directly  by  Governor  Wilson  to  the  effect  that  our 
support  was  affecting  his  condidacy  injuriously. 

"The  only  course  left  open  to  us,  in  simple  fair- 
ness to  Mr.  Wilson,  no  less  than  in  consideration 
of  our  own  self-respect,  was  to  cease  to  advocate 
his  nomination. 

"We  make  this  explanation  with  great  reluctance 
and  the  deepest  regret.  But  we  cannot  escape  the 
conclusion  that  the  very  considerable  number  of  our 
readers  who  have  co-operated  earnestly  and 
loyally  in  advancing  a  movement  which  was  in- 
augurated solely  in  the  hope  of  rendering  a  high 
public  service,  are  clearly  entitled  to  this  in- 
formation." 

The  door  had  hardly  closed  upon  this 

incident,  for  the  time  being,  when  more 

publicity   was   created   for   the    Governor 

through  the  disallowance  by  the  trustees 

of  Princeton  University  of  his  application 

for  a  pension  allowance,  but  it  was  con- 

22 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

eluded  that  the  attack  had  been  inspired 
by  certain  Princeton  officials  who  had  taken 
exception  to  Governor  Wilson's  policies 
when  he  was  President  of  that  institution, 
who  had  fought  him  unsuccessfully  in  the 
Gubernatorial  contest,  and  who  now  sought 
to  weaken  him  as  a  Presidential  candidate. 

The  politicial  atmosphere  was  growing 
very  warm.  Speaker  Clark,  Senator  Oscar  ^. 
Underwood  of  Alabama,  and  Hon.  Judson 
Harmon  of  Ohio,  now  loomed  up  as  pros- 
pective candidates  and  the  friends  of  each 
were  donning  their  war  paint.  While  it 
was  recognized  that  it  would  be  impolitic 
to  enter  the  States  of  these  "favorite  sons" 
and  make  open  contests,  Mr.  McCombs 
found  his  way  in  through  channels  that  led 
to  quiet  but  effective  work  on  the  part  of  a 
few  influential  friends  in  each  case. 

Ever  on  the  alert  for  funds,  Mr.  McCombs 

now   got   in   touch    with    Colonel   E.    M. 

House  of  Texas,  who  was  stopping  at  the 

Gotham  Hotel,  in  New  York  City,  and  the 

23 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Colonel  consented  to  further  Governor  Wil- 
son's candidacy  and  finance  the  Texas  head- 
quarters. Mr.  McCombs  relied  upon  the 
Colonel  to  "deliver"  the  Texas  Delegation 
in  the  National  Convention,  and  was  later 
assured  that  "it  would  perform",  whereupon 
the  jubilant  McCombs  addressed  a  com- 
munication to  Governor  Wilson,  and  I 
quote  from  my  notes,  as  follows: 

"I  have  a  letter  from  him  in  which  he 
says  Texas  will  be  all  right  and  that  he  will 
come  to  New  York  within  two  weeks  to 
help  out  if  I  wish  it.  I  am  going  to  ask 
him  to  come  on  by  all  means."*** 

And  then  there  loomed  on  the  horizon 
the  National  Committeeman  from  Dela- 
ware, later  United  States  Senator,  Willard 
Saulsbury,  who  after  conferences  with  Gov- 
ernor Wilson  and  Mr.  McCombs,  joined 
the  Wilson  forces.  He  indeed  proved  to  be 
a  pillar  of  strength  to  the  movement. 
Within  a  month  Mr.  Saulsbury  had  ar- 
ranged a  meeting  with  his  colleague,  Roger 

ft* 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Sullivan,  the  Democratic  leader  of  Illinois, 
at  Chicago. 

Upon  Salisbury's  return  he  reported  to 
Mr.  McCombs  that  he  had  spent  practi- 
cally a  whole  afternoon  preaching  the  gospel 
of  Woodrow  Wilson  to  Sullivan,  and  that 
while  Roger  refused  to  commit  himself, 
he  had  stated  that  he  was  rather  inter- 
ested. 

Mr.  Saulsbury  kept  after  his  friend  like 
a  good  salesman  determined  on  landing  a 
big  order,  and  finally — but  read  how  it  was 
accomplished  a  little  further  on. 

It  was  now  about  the  first  of  the  year 
1912.  The  amount  of  cash  in  bank  was 
$55.23.  The  conferences  between  Mr. 
McCombs  and  his  friends  became  more 
frequent.  One  of  the  most  active  of  his 
conferees,  Mr.  Josiah  Quincy,  of  Boston, 
mentioned  Hon.  Frederic  C.  Penfield,  later 
appointed  Ambassador  to  Austria,  and  a 
millionaire  who  had  previously  held  diplo- 
matic office,  as  a  possible  Wilson  adherent. 

25 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Mr.  Quincy's  vision  was  admirable,  for 
zsliortly  Mr.  Penfield  registered  under  the 
Woodrow  Wilson  banner  and  presented  his 
^subscription  totaling  $10,000.  I  was  with 
Mr.  McCombs  when  he  opened  the  en- 
velope containing  the  most  acceptable  con- 
tribution, and  I  can  see  him  again  as  he 
straightened  up,  balanced  himself  on  his 
good  leg,  and  stated:  "Oh,  welcome,  little 
angel!" 

The  mailing  list  at  headquarters  at  this 
time  consisted  of  more  than  two  hundred 
thousand  names,  under  the  supervision  of 
Miss  Alberta  Hill,  an  ardent  Suffragette 
and  a  very  capable  young  lady.  Miss  Hill 
also  supervised  the  collecting  and  indexing 
of  the  clippings  favorable  to  Governor 
Wilson  which  were  taken  from  the  prom- 
inent papers  throughout  the  country,  and 
in  addition  managed  the  clerical  force. 
Mr.  Stockbridge  had  resigned,  the  cause 

being  the  insistence,  of  Mr.  McCombs  that 

26 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

all  correspondence  from  headquarters  bear 
no  signature  other  than  his.  Thousands  of r 
followers  had  been  writing,  and  receiving 
replies  over  the  signature  of  Mr.  Stock- 
bridge.  They  recognized  him  because  in  the 
early  days  of  the  movement  he  had  been  in 
touch  with  them  and  had  made  the  ar- 
rangements for  the  first  western  trip,  in 
addition  to  accompanying  the  Governor 
and  meeting  many  of  them  personally. 

The  successor  of  Mr.  Stockbridge  was 
Mr.  Byron  R.  Newton,  a  friend  of  Hon. 
Wm.  G.  McAdoo,  later  appointed  As- 
sistant Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and 
Collector  of  the  Port  of  New  York.  To 
render  him  assistance  Mr.  Jacob  R.  Binder, 
of  Rutherford,  N.  J.,  was  engaged.  The 
tenure  of  both  was  short. 

Mr.  Newton's  case  is  interesting.  The 
pitiless  light  will  be  turned  on  when  I  again 
take  up  the  Harvey- Watterson- Wilson  con- 
troversy. 

27 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

But  reverting  to  the  growth  of  the  Wilson 
movement  early  in  1912 — Mr.  McCombs 
now  deemed  it  of  the  greatest  importance 
that  the  Governor  make  more  addresses  to 
provide  further  ammunition  in  the  form  of 
pamphlets  for  dissemination,  and  conferred 
with  Mr.  John  R.  Dunlap  of  the  National 
Democratic  Club,  New  York  City,  who 
arranged  that  an  invitation  be  extended  to 
Governor  Wilson  to  speak  before  the  Club 
the  evening  of  January  3d,  on  the  tariff 
question. 

Among  the  members  who  were  conspicu- 
ous by  their  absence  was  Mr.  Charles  F. 
Murphy.  When  I  laughingly  mentioned 
this  fact  to  Mr.  McCombs  he  stated: 
"Murphy  would  be  more  at  ease  in  the  com- 
pany of  Clark  or  Harmon  than  on  the  dais 
with  the  Governor". 

Governor  Wilson  made  a  splendid  and 
effective  address,  and  we  flooded  the  coun- 
try with  copies  of  it. 

28 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Mr.  Walker  W.  Vick,  of  Rutherford,  N.  J^ 
about  this  time  volunteered  to  make  a  trip 
through  the  Carolinas,  Georgia,  Alabama, 
and  Florida,  and  confer  with  possible  Wilson 
followers,  and  rendered  valiant  service  in 
the  cause,  becoming  one  of  Mr.  McCombs' 
confidential  lieutenants.  He  succeeded  Mr. 
Newton  as  Manager  of  the  Prenomination 
Campaign  Headquarters,  later  being  desig- 
nated Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Democratic 
National  Committee,  and  then  Secretary  of 
the  Inaugural  Committee.  He  was  re- 
warded by  the  President  with  the  ap- 
pointment of  Receiver  General  of  Santo 
Domingo. 

Mr.  Thomas  J.  Pence,  Washington  cor- 
respondent for  one  of  the  leading  papers 
and  a  man  very  well  thought  of  in  Congres- 
sional circles,  was  also  engaged  on  the 
recommendation  of  Congressman  William 
Hughes,  of  New  Jersey,  as  Manager  of  the 

Washington    Branch    of    the    movement, 

29 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

mainly  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  pub- 
licity for  Governor  Wilson  through  the 
correspondents  of  the  various  press  asso- 
ciations and  newspapers  in  Washington. 
In  addition  he  often  accompanied  Mr. 
McCombs  and  myself  on  trips  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  advantage  of  all  the 
publicity  that  could  be  obtained  from  that 
source. 

-^After  Governor  Wilson  had  delivered  his 
inspiring  address  on  January  6th,  in  Car- 
negie Hall,  New  York  City,  on  the  Jewish 
Passport  question,  Hon.  Henry  Morgen- 
thau,  later  appointed  Ambassador  to  Tur- 
key, became  his  staunch  supporter  and 
agreed  to  subscribe  the  sum  of  $4,000  a 
month  to  the  cause. 

All  eyes  were  now  turned  toward  Wash- 
ington, where  on  the  8th  of  January  the 
Governor  was  to  speak  at  the  Jackson  Day 
Banquet,  to  be  given  at  the  Hotel  Raleigh, 

at  which  many  notables  were  to  be  present, 

30 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

including  the  other  potential  Presidential 
candidates,  Representative  Oscar  Under- 
wood, Speaker  Clark,  and  Senator  Atlee 
Pomerene  in  behalf  of  Hon.  Judson  Harmon. 
As  usual,  Governor  Wilson  had  not  prepared 
his  address  in  advance,  preferring  to  speak 
extemporaneously/ 

Mr.  McCombs  and  myself  arrived  in 
Washington  the  morning  of  the  7th,  and 
had  hardly  been  in  our  rooms  at  the  Willard 
Hotel  when  word  was  received  that  the 
press  was  to  give  out  a  letter  from  Governor 
Wilson  to  Mr.  Adrian  H.  Joline  that  con- 
tained "dynamite",  and  which  was  as 
follows : 

"April  29,  1907. 
"My  dear  Mr.  Joline: 

Thank  you  very  much  for  sending  me 
your  address  at  Parsons,  Kansas,  before 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Missouri, 
Kansas  &  Texas  Railway  Co.  I  have  read 
it  with  relish  and  entire  agreement.  Would 
that  we  could  do  something  at  once  digni- 
31 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

fied  and  effective  to  knock  Mr.  Bryan  once 
for  all  into  a  cocked  hat. 

Cordially  and  sincerely  yours, 

Woodrow  Wilson. 

Mr.  Adrian  H.  Joline." 


Mr.  Bryan  was  en  route  to  make  one  of 
the  principal  addresses  at  the  banquet. 
It  was  ascertained  that  he  had  stopped  for 
a  short  while  in  Raleigh,  N.  C.  Mr.  Pence 
was  requested  to  get  in  touch  at  once  with 
Hon.  Josephus  Daniels,  later  appointed 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  also  resided 
there,  and  was  a  friend  of  the  great  Com- 
moner, and  endeavor  to  still  the  troubled 
waters. 

Mr.  McCombs  then  gave  out  the  follow- 
ing to  the  press: 


y  "The  Joline  letter  is  a  continuation  of 
efforts  to  dynamite  Governor  Wilson, 
from  Wall  Street.  These  attacks  on 
Wilson  generally  have  come  from  that 
quarter,  largely  from  Republican  sources. 
32 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Mr.  Joline  is  President  of  the  Missouri, 
Kansas  &  Texas  Railway,  and  is  a  personal 
attorney  for  Thomas  F.  Ryan." 

That  afternoon  about  four  o'clock  Gov- 
ernor Wilson  and  some  of  his  friends 
assembled  in  a  large  room  of  the  Willard 
Hotel.  Among  those  present  were  Con- 
gressman William  Hughes;  John  T.  Mc- 
Graw,  National  Committeeman  from  West 
Virginia;  Dudley  Field  Malone,  Joseph  P. 
Tumulty,  Mr.  McCombs,  Senator  James 
A.  O'Gorman,  Thomas  J.  Pence,  and  my- 
self. A  discussion  as  to  what  reply  the 
Governor  should  make  to  the  Joline  letter 
continued  for  some  twenty  or  thirty  min- 
utes, when  Governor  Wilson  prepared  a 
statement  that  he  wrote  what  he  thought 
was  proper  at  the  time,  and  further,  as 
taken  from  my  notes : 

"Even  if  a  man  has  written  letters  it 
ought  not  to  embarrass  him  if  they  are 
published.  Even  if  a  man  changes  his 
mind  it  ought  not  to  embarrass  him." 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Handing  me  the  statement,  Governor 
Wilson  requested  that  I  read  it  aloud,  and, 
after  a  pause,  requested  that  I  have  it  type- 
written. 

When  I  returned  to  the  room  with  the 
copy  there  was  additional  discussion  and, 
as  I  recall,  the  Governor  then  decided  that 
his  reply  would  be  made  at  the  banquet, 
whereupon  the  meeting  adjourned. 

Within  a  short  time  Mr.  Bryan  reached 
Washington  and  was  immediately  inter- 
viewed by  Mr.  W.  B.  Hennessy,  a  member 
of  the  press  who  had  been  engaged  by  Mr. 
McCombs  as  a  publicity  man.  I  give 
herewith  his  interview  on  the  Joline  letter, 
taken  verbatim  by  me: 

Q.  What  have  you  got  to  say  about  the  Joline 
letter,  Mr.  Bryan? 

A.  I  have  nothing  to  say  about  that.  I  have 
already  made  a  statement.  The  persons  who  pro- 
cured its  publication  are  probably  satisfied.  I 
think  that  covers  it. 

Q.  Do  you  know  that  T.  F.  Ryan  was  con- 
cerned in  the  writing  or  reception  of  the  letter? 

34 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

A.  I  have  nothing  to  say. 

Q.  When  you  were  abroad,  Mr.  Bryan,  did  you 
see  the  Sphinx? 

A.  Yes,  and  I  paid  some  attention  to  studying 
its  methods. 

About  six  o'clock  Senator  Saulsbury 
entered  Mr.  McCombs'  room.  There  were 
present  at  the  time  Senator  William  Hughes 
of  New  Jersey,  McCombs,  and  myself.  We 
were  still  discussing  the  Joline  matter, 
when  Saulsbury  stated: 

"Now  is  the  opportunity  to  confer  with 
Roger  Sullivan." 

Quickly  going  to  the  'phone  he  got  in 
touch  with  Mr.  Sullivan,  arranged  the 
meeting  and  hung  up  the  receiver,  while 
Senator  Hughes  and  I  did  a  war  dance 
about  the  room  in  our  joy. 

Within  a  short  while  Mr.  Sullivan  ar- 
rived, but  thought  it  would  be  inconvenient 
to  talk  in  Mr.  McCombs'  room,  which  was 
being  besieged  by  callers,  so  we  all  repaired 
to  another  room  at  the  end  of  the  hall, 

where   an   extended   conference   was    had,- 

35 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

during  which  Roger  Sullivan  stated  that 
he  was  inclined  to  be  friendly  to  Governor 
Wilson's  cause,  and  then  smilingly  said: 
"I  cannot  yet  commit  myself."  After  the 
Illinois  leader  had  gone,  Mr.  Saulsbury 
slapped  McCombs  on  the  back,  and  stated: 
."He's  fixed." 

At  eight  o'clock  that  evening  I  ac- 
companied Governor  Wilson  to  the  Shore- 
ham  Hotel,  where  he  was  to  address  some 
members  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Com- 
mittee, in  addition  to  about  two  hundred 
others  of  his  admirers  from  that  State. 
We  entered  the  hall  while  Dudley  Field 
Malone  was  delivering  a  stirring  address 
with  regard  to  upholding  the  principles  and 
the  policies  of  Woodrow  Wilson. 

The  Governor  was  conducted  to  the  dais, 
and  during  the  course  of  his  remarks, 
which  I  reported,  stated: 

"It  was  worth  while  coming  to  Wash- 
ington to  see  this.     If  I  followed  my  in- 
clinations this  is  the  place  I  would  stay 
36 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

for  the  rest  of  the  evening,  for  I  am  not 
sure  of  having  as  many  adherents  any- 
where else.  I  am  not  throwing  any  asper- 
sions on  the  other  dinner — that's  all  right, 
but  then  a  dinner  all  Jersey  is  of  a  kind 
and  that  dinner  over  there  is  not  all  Jersey. 
I  can  only  surmise  what's  going  on  in  the 
minds  of  some  of  those  fellows.  I  know 
the  exceeding  purity  of  it — and  I  know 
what's  going  on  in  your  minds — that  is, 
I  know  on  an  average  what's  going  on  in 
your  minds.  But  there  is,  of  course,  a  sort 
of  pleasurable  excitement  in  taking  your 
chances  with  the  other  crowd,  and  there 
is  that  very  great  satisfaction,  which  is 
the  single  satisfaction  lacking  on  this 
occasion — it  is  very  delightful  to  ram  cer- 
tain things  down  some  peoples'  throats 
and  make  them  digest  them."  *** 

When  the  Governor  had  concluded  his 
address  he,  Mr.  Malone,  and  myself  re- 
paired to  the  Raleigh  Hotel.  On  the  way 
Malone  asked  me  whether  I  "got"  the 
address  all  right.  I  answered  that  I  had, 
but  that  I  was  thankful  no  reporters  other 
than  myself  were  present,  and  that  I  was 

going  to  "bury"  it. 

37 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

As  we  entered  the  banquet  hall  of  the 
Raleigh,  Governor  Wilson  received  a  tre- 
mendous ovation.  Senator  Martine,  of 
New  Jersey,  stood  upon  a  table  yelling  like 
a  Comanche  Indian,  his  full  dress  tails 
waving  in  the  hot  breeze. 

The  Governor's  chair  had  been  placed 
next  to  that  of  Mr.  Bryan.  I  sat  directly 
in  front  at  the  reporter's  table,  and  give 
that  portion  of  Governor  Wilson's  address 
which  answered  the  Joline  letter: 

***  "What  I  want  to  say  is  that  one  of 
the  most  striking  things  in  recent  years  is 
that  with  all  the  rise  and  fall  of  particular 
ideas,  with  all  the  ebb  and  flow  of  par- 
ticular proposals,  there  has  been  an  in- 
teresting fixed  point  in  the  history  of  the 
Democratic  Party,  and  that  fixed  point 
has  been  the  character,  and  the  devotion, 
and  the  preachings  of  William  Jennings 
Bryan. 

"I,  for  my  part,  never  want  to  forget 
this — that  while  we  have  differed  with  Mr. 
Bryan  upon  this  occasion  and  upon  that 
with  regard  to  the  specific  things  to  be 
done,  he  has  gone  serenely  on,  pointing 
88 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

out  to  a  more  and  more  convinced  people 
what  it  was  that  was  the  matter.  He  has 
had  the  steadfast  vision  all  along  of  what 
it  was  that  was  the  matter,  and  he  has, 
not  any  more  than  Andrew  Jackson  did, 
not  based  his  character  upon  calculation, 
but  has  based  it  upon  principle.' *  *** 

I  distinctly  remember  the  great  Com- 
moner's pleasant  expression  as  the  above 
compliment  was  paid  him,  and  I  felt  that 
Governor  Wilson  had  been  successful  in 
removing  any  feeling  that  may  have  re- 
mained with  Colonel  Bryan. 

Mr.  Bryan  in  the  course  of  his  long  and 

interesting    address    vigorously    contended 

that    potential    candidates    or    designated 

candidates  should  not  be  permitted  to  buy 

out  newspapers,  and  a  number  of  Speaker 

Clark's   followers    shouted,    "the    Trenton 

True  American",  which,  as  heretofore  stated 

was  the  sheet  that  Mr.  McCombs  had  been 

nourishing  for  the  purpose  of  furthering  the 

candidacy  of  Governor  Wilson. 

I  did  not  see  Mr.  McCombs,  though  I 
39 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

was  aware  that  he  was  in  the  hall.  I  re- 
turned to  the  Willard  about  four  o'clock  the 
following  morning.  Mr.  McCombs  came  in 
a  little  later,  radiantly  happy,  and  stated: 

"Well,  Lyons,  we  surely  put  it  across 
and  I've  captured  Roger  Sullivan." 

While  we  were  talking  on  other  interest- 
ing phases  of  the  banquet  Senator  Sauls- 
bury  bounded  into  the  room,  and  for  the 
next  hour  the  talk  centered  on  Governor 
Wilson's  eloquent  speech,  which  at  last 
had  brought  Roger  Sullivan  into  the  fold, 
and  the  impetus  which  the  whole  pro- 
ceedings would  give  to  the  Governor's 
candidacy. 

The  9th  of  January  was  the  day  on  which 

the  members  of  the  Democratic  National 

Committee  selected  the  city  in  which  the 

convention  was  to  be  held.    Mr.  McCombs 

had  previously  corresponded  with  Senator 

Gore  and  followed  his  advice  in  urging  that 

Baltimore  be  named.     The  letter  to  the 

Senator  is  as  follows: 

40 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

"I  have  your  very  good  letter  of  Decem- 
ber 27th,  and  will  certainly  take  your  sug- 
gestions. They  are  always  good.  I  will  be 
in  Washington  from  the  6th  until  the  9th 
and  will  certainly  give  myself  the  pleasure 
of  calling  on  you.  Could  I  have  the  benefit 
of  your  suggestions  as  to  the  proper  place 
to  hold  the  convention?  You  mention 
Baltimore.  What  do  you  think  of  it? 
There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  fuss  over 
New  York.  It  is  needless  to  say  I  do  not 
want  it,  but  I  think  if  the  Democratic 
Party,  regardless  of  Wilson,  is  thinking  at 
all,  it  does  not  want  New  York  either, 
because  on  its  face  it  would  look  like  a  sur- 
render to  Tammany  and  to  money. 
Yours  sincerely.' ' 

Baltimore  was  selected,  the  additional 
magnet  being  a  certified  check  for  $100,000, 
which  Chairman  Mack  fondled  lovingly 
while  the  advocate  for  that  city  spoke  of  its 
desirable  location  and  many  other  ad- 
vantages. 

Governor  Wilson's  strength  as  a  Presi- 
dential candidate  was  now  recognized  by 
hundreds  of  Democratic  leaders  who  had 

previously  but  smiled  when  his  name  was 

41 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

mentioned.  All  roads  led  to  Mr.  McCombs' 
room  at  the  Willard  Hotel,  and  when  we  re- 
turned to  New  York,  either  to  his  office  at 
96  Broadway,  or  to  headquarters,  but  the 
shekels  to  carry  on  the  good  work  were  not 
forthcoming  in  any  large  amounts  and 
Henry  Morgenthau's  $4,000  a  month  was 
indeed  a  life  saver. 

I  remember  that  during  the  early  days 
of  the  Presidential  campaign,  Mr.  Morgen- 
thau  was  informed  by  Mr.  McCombs  that 
he  had  overlooked  the  last  $4,000  con- 
tribution to  the  prenomination  campaign, 
whereupon  Mr.  Morgenthau  handed  me  a 
check  for  the  amount,  saying:  "Here, 
Lyons,  give  this  to  your  boss.  Ya,  ya, 
Lyons,  das  Geld  es  ist  etwass".  (Yes,  yes, 
Lyons,  what  a  power  money  is.) 

Hon.  Abram  I.  Elkus,  one  of  the  leading 

members  of  the  New  York  Bar,  who  later 

succeeded  Mr.  Morgenthau  as  Ambassador 

to  Turkey,   also  had  come  forward  with 

many  good  suggestions  and  financial   as- 

42 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

sistance.  Mr.  McCombs  stated  to  me  on 
one  occasion  that  had  he  others  about  him 
with  half  the  common  sense  of  Mr.  Elkus 
he  could  make  much  more  headway.  "Mr. 
Elkus  is  a  man  of  big  parts,"  he  stated, 
"and  if  we  are  successful  he  should  be 
appointed  Attorney  General,  but  I  am  un- 
able to  make  any  promises." 

Another  addition  to  his  forces,  the  value 
of  which  could  not  be  over-estimated,  was 
F.  B.  Lynch,  of  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  the  man 
whom  friends  lovingly  called  "Big  Fred," 
and  who  was  a  power  in  the  politics  of  his 
State.  Mr.  McCombs  had  been  endeavor- 
ing through  various  channels  to  have  him 
enlist  under  the  Wilson  banner,  and  great 
was  his  joy  when,  after  the  Jackson  Day 
Banquet,  Mr.  Lynch  decided  to  support  the 
Governor.  From  that  time  on  there  was 
not  an  important  conference  into  which 
Mr.  Lynch  was  not  called.  In  fact,  Mr. 
McCombs  made  very  few  moves  without 

first  consulting  Mr.  Lynch,  and  counted  on 

43 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Minnesota  as  safely  for  Wilson.  His  con- 
fidence in  Lynch  and  his  abilities  was  not 
misplaced,  for  Minnesota  performed  like  a 
thoroughbred  previous  to  and  during  the 
national  convention. 

The  Clark  and  Harmon  candidacies  were 
taking  on  additional  momentum.  Speaker 
Clark's  managers  were  circulating  scur- 
rilous literature  with  regard  to  Governor 
Wilson,  but  Mr.  McCombs  stated  in  letters 
to  friends  that  he  was  sure  Mr.  Clark  knew 
nothing  about  it.  This  damaging  material 
had  been  sent  into  many  of  the  western 
States  where  Mr.  McCombs  was  fighting  to 
hold  the  strength  he  enjoyed. 

About  this  time  Mr.  McCombs  came  to 

the  conclusion  that  inasmuch  as  Mr.  Bryan 

had  appeared  so  friendly  at  the  Jackson 

Day  Banquet,  he  would  endeavor  to  enlist 

his  support  for  Governor  W7ilson.    He  had 

heard  that  Colonel  House  and  Mr.  Bryan 

were  friends,  but  it  is  strange  that  in  this 

instance  he  did  not  himself  visit  Colonel 

44 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

House,  but  arranged  that  Mr:  Walker  W. 
Vick  and  myself  should  call  and,  if  possible, 
"sound  out"  the  little  man  from  Texas. 

Colonel  House  received  us  most  gra- 
ciously, and  after  listening  to  our  sug- 
gestions stated  that  in  his  opinion  Colonel 
Bryan  would  be  guided  largely  by  the 
advice  of  Mrs.  Bryan,  and  he  thought  if  she 
could  be  won  over  to  Governor  Wilson's 
cause  the  channel  would  then  be  widened 
to  such  an  extent  that  Colonel  Bryan  might 
eventually  decide  to  enlist.  Colonel  House 
further  stated  that  Mrs.  Bryan  was  to  have 
luncheon  that  day  with  Mrs.  House  and 
himself.  It  would  appear  that  Colonel 
House  did  win  over  Mrs.  Bryan  and  the 
great  Commoner,  for  Mr.  Bryan  shortly 
thereafter  stood  staunchly  by  Governor 
Wilson  in  the  Harvey- Watterson  contro- 
versy, and  later,  during  the  month  of  March, 
Mr.  McCombs  addressed  a  communication 
to  Mr.  Oswald  Garrison  Villard,  20  Vesey 

Street,  New  York  City,  as  follows: 

45 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

***  "I  am  informed  from  Nebraska 
also  that  the  Committee  has  demanded 
Clark's  withdrawal  from  the  race,  agreeing 
to  take  him  up  as  second  choice  after 
Wilson.  You  know  our  cause  there  is  in 
the  hands  of  Wm.  J.  Bryan's  friends."  *** 

Speaker  Clark  was  the  victor  in  the 
primaries,  but  the  support  of  the  delegation 
went  to  Governor  Wilson  later,  through  the 
activities  of  Colonel  Bryan. 

Now  permit  me  to  return  with  my 
readers  to  the  Harvey-Watterson-Wilson 
controversy,  which  happened  in  December 
of  1911.  The  smouldering  fire  burst  into 
flame  on  January  17,  1912,  when  Colonel 
Watterson,  in  his  own  inimitable  way,  gave 
out  the  following  statement: 

"The  conference  between  us  in  my  apartment  at 
the  Manhattan  Club  was  held  to  consider  certain 
practical  measures  relating  to  Governor  Wilson's 
candidacy.  Colonel  Harvey  stood  towards  Gover- 
nor Wilson  much  as  I  had  stood  five  and  thirty 
years  ago  toward  Mr.  Tilden.  This  appealed  to  me. 
Colonel  Harvey  had  brought  the  Governor  and 
myself  together  in  his  New  Jersey  home  eighteen 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

months  ago,  and  as  time  passed  had  interested  me  in 
his  ambitions.  I  was  hoping  I  might  find  in 
Governor  Wilson  another  Tilden  in  point  of  in- 
tellect and  advisability.  I  know  that  Colonel 
Harvey  made  no  mistake  in  his  choice  of  a  candi- 
date, but  the  circumstances  leading  to  the  un- 
fortunate parting  of  the  ways  between  them  leads 
me  to  doubt  whether  in  character  and  tempera- 
ment it  may  not  be  merely  in  the  habit  of  a  life- 
time, Governor  Wilson  is  not  rather  the  school- 
master than  the  statesman.  From  the  first  there 
was  a  certain  strain  in  Governor  Wilson's  manner, 
the  absence  of  that  cordiality  and  candor  which 
should  mark  hearty  confidential  intercourse,  in- 
timating the  existence  of  some  adverse  influence. 
His  manner  was  autocratic,  if  not  tyrannus.  I  did 
not  take  this  to  myself  but  thought  it  related  to 
Colonel  Harvey,  and  when  Colonel  Harvey,  ap- 
parently overcome  by  Governor  Wilson's  aus- 
terity, put  the  direct  question  to  Governor  Wilson 
whether  the  support  of  Harper  s  Weekly  was  doing 
him  an  injury  and  received  from  Governor  Wilson 
a  cold  rejoinder  that  it  was,  I  was  both  surprised 
and  shocked."  *** 

Mr.  McCombs  replied: 

"It  seems  to  me  that  Colonel  Watterson  has  said 
all  that  needs  to  be  said.  It  appears  that  as  far 
back  as  last  October  he  himself  suggested  to 
Governor  Wilson  that  Colonel  Harvey's  support 

47 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

through  Harper  s  Weekly  might  be  injurious,  and 
that  he  probably  told  Colonel  Harvey  himself  the 
same  thing.  It  would  seem  that  Colonel  Watterson 
had  convinced  the  Governor  of  the  truth  of  his 
opinion  and  had  at  least  impressed  Colonel  Harvey 
with  the  probability  of  its  truth,  else  Colonel 
Harvey  would  not  have  pretended  the  question. 

"It  is  passing  strange  that  Colonel  Watterson 
should  feel  concerned  that  the  Governor  in  private 
conversation  with  himself  and  Colonel  Harvey 
should  in  answer  to  a  pointed  question  give  frank 
expression  to  the  very  view  which  Colonel  Wat- 
terson himself  entertained  and  which  he  had 
communicated  to  the  Governor  and  probably  to 
Colonel  Harvey. 

"In  October  last,  the  very  month  in  which  he 
made  these  suggestions  to  Governor  Wilson, 
Colonel  Watterson  said  in  the  Louisville  Courier- 
Journal  editorially: 

"  'Two  things  seem  tolerably  sure  to 
the  surmise  of  the  Courier- Journal.  If 
Woodrow  Wilson  is  nominated  for  Presi- 
dent it  will  be  through  the  force  of  an 
irresistible  pressure  of  public  opinion, 
and  if  he  is  defeated  for  the  nomination 
it  will  be  by  some  organized  agency  well 
backed  with  money.  No  Democrat  of 
modern  times  has  come  into  the  running, 
Samuel  J.  Tilden  alone  excepted,  with 
48 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

half  as  much  of  the  equipment  and  the 
claim  of  the  New  Jersey  Governor.'  M 

"The  tears  that  are  being  shed  over  the  passing 
incident  are  wrung  from  those  who  have  hitherto 
been  the  most  conspicuous  opponents  of  Governor 
Wilson.  Witness  the  frequently-quoted  statement 
of  Mayor  Dahlman  of  Omaha,  Nebraska,  who  has 
for  months  not  only  been  openly  opposed  to 
Governor  Wilson,  but  who  has  been  the  aggressive 
champion  of  another  candidate.  The  same  applies 
to  others  who  have  indulged  in  lachrymosel  ex- 
pressions. This,  of  course,  is  to  be  expected  when- 
ever any  man  develops  a  decided  lead  for  the 
nomination. 

"The  gist  of  the  issue,  as  I  see  it,  is  whether  one 
friend  in  private  conversation  with  another  should 
in  answer  to  a  plain  question  resort  to  flattery  or 
dissimulation,  or  whether  he  should  state  the 
truth  as  he  sees  it." 

The  following  day  Colonel  Watterson 
gave  the  "retort  courteous"  to  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs : 

"I  have  nothing  to  add  to  what  has 
already  been  said  unless  it  be  seriously 
challenged  by  some  responsible  person. 
Then  I  may  have  a  good  deal  to  say." 
4  49 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

William  J.  Bryan  now  entered  the  lists 
and  on  January  23d  indorsed  the  attitude  of 
Governor  Wilson,  giving  out  the  following 
letter: 

"The  recent  break  between  Governor  Wilson 
and  Colonel  Harvey  illustrates  the  impossibility 
of  cooperation  by  the  men  who  look  at  public 
questions  from  definite  points  of  view.  Colonel 
Harvey  became  a  supporter  of  Mr.  Wilson  when 
he  was  selected  as  the  Democratic  candidate  for 
Governor  of  New  Jersey,  and  he  continued  his 
support  when  Governor  Wilson  began  to  be  dis- 
cussed as  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency.  Of 
course  it  is  absurd  for  Colonel  Harvey's  friends  to 
talk  about  his  'bringing  Governor  Wilson  out*. 
No  man  or  paper  could  have  made  Governor 
Wilson  available  as  a  candidate  if  he  himself  had 
not  attracted  attention;  it  would  have  been  im- 
possible for  Colonel  Harvey  to  have  prevented  a 
discussion  of  Governor  Wilson's  availability. 

"But  let  us  assume  that  Colonel  Harvey  was 
doing  all  that  he  could  for  his  choice,  what  was  the 
situation?  His  conspicuous  support  was  not  only 
of  no  advantage,  but  it  had  become  actually  a  dis- 
advantage; it  would  not  bring  to  Governor  Wilson 
the  class  for  which  Colonel  Harvey  speaks,  but 
alienated  men  just  as  honest  as  Colonel  Harvey's 
friends,  who  could  not  understand  why  Colonel 
Harvey  praised  Governor  Wilson  personally  with- 

50 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

out  indorsing  the  things  for  which  Governor  Wilson 
stands.  It  naturally  aroused  suspicion  as  to  the 
sincerity  of  one  or  the  other,  and,  when  Governor 
Wilson  was  asked  the  question,  he  admitted  that 
he  regarded  the  support  of  Colonel  Harvey  as  a 
liability  rather  than  an  asset.  Should  he  have 
pretended  that  he  thought  that  Colonel  Harvey 
was  helping  him  when  he  was  not?  And  why 
should  Colonel  Harvey  complain?  If  he  really 
favors  Governor  Wilson  he  must  desire  to  aid  him; 
why  should  he  be  offended,  then,  at  Governor 
Wilson's  frankness?  Is  he  more  interested  in 
being  known  as  'the  man  who  made  Governor 
Wilson  famous  than  in  advancing  Governor 
Wilson's  cause?' 

"Harvey  has  shown  no  signs  of  conversion.  If 
he  communes  with  Ananias  it  is  not  with  any 
consciousness  of  blindness.  He  has  seen  no  new 
light,  and  when  he  does  he  will  feel  so  ashamed  of 
his  lifelong  fight  against  progressive  Democracy 
that  his  first  desire  will  be  to  bring  forth  fruits  to 
meet  his  repentance — not  to  assume  leadership. 
It  must  pain  Governor  Wilson  to  break  with  his 
old  friends,  but  the  break  must  necessarily  come 
unless  he  turns  back  or  they  go  forward.  A  man 
is  known  by  the  company  he  keeps,  and  he  can- 
not keep  company  with  those  going  in  opposite 
directions.  Governor  Wilson  must  prepare  him- 
self for  other  desertions;  they  will  distress  him,  but 
there  is  abundant  consolation  of  duty  well  done." 

51 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Senator  Gore  followed  with  a  catapult 
in  which  he  stated: 

"This  whole  incident  is  a  bubble,  not  a  billow. 
It  is  not  surprising,  however,  that  the  opponents 
of  Wilson,  being  the  friends  of  other  candidates, 
should  mistake  the  one  for  the  other.  It  seems 
that  the  head  and  heart  of  the  Governor's  offend- 
ing is  that  he  told  the  truth. 

"No  honest  man  can  accept  an  office,  least  of  all 
the  Presidency,  with  a  lie  upon  his  conscience  or 
his  conduct.  No  one  has  plenary  power  to  select 
either  his  friends  or  his  opponents  in  politics. 
To  decline  tendered  aid  and  alliance  is  a  most 
difficult  and  delicate  task.  Few  men  have  the 
courage  and  candor  to  do  this  when  battle  is 
joined.  Peradventure,  the  Governor  may  have 
learned  by  experience  that  there  are  men  who 
would  undertake  to  capitalize  gratitude  and  then 
commercialize  influence.  He  may  have  thought  it 
just  and  timely  to  foreclose  the  possibility  of 
such  an  attempt  hereafter. 

"The  critics  of  Governor  Wilson  should  tell  the 
public  frankly  whether  their  candidates  would 
assume  such  an  obligation  as  the  Governor  declines, 
and,  if  so,  whether  their  candidate  would  dis- 
regard or  would  discharge  such  obligations.  The 
American  people  have  the  right  to  know  the  text 
and  terms  of  all  the  mortgages  and  deeds  of  trust, 
either  expressed  or  implied,  under  which  a  candi- 

52 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

date  for  the  Presidency  may  labor,  and  they  have 
an  equal  right  to  know  the  names  of  all  the  mort- 
gagees and  beneficiaries  of  the  trust.  I  would 
rather  see  Governor  Wilson  defeated  and  his  heart 
an  open  book,  'that  all  who  run  may  read/  than 
to  see  him  triumphant  with  a  skeleton  in  his 
political  closet  which  had  been  concealed  from  the 
eyes  of  a  confiding  people." 

But  the  facts!  Mr.  McCombs  was  in- 
formed that  it  was  generally  understood  in 
most  of  the  far  western  States,  where  Gov- 
ernor Wilson's  strength  was  increasing, 
that  Harper's  Weekly  was  owned  by  the 
late  J.  Pierpont  Morgan,  and  then  news 
came  to  him  that  certain  agents  were  busily 
engaged  in  organizing  Wilson  Clubs  through- 
out those  States,  including  in  the  member- 
ship a  year's  subscription  to  Harper's 
Weekly  and  a  lithograph  of  Woodrow  Wil- 
son. Of  course,  shouts  of  "Morgan,  Wall 
Street,  and  Wilson"  came  from  the  West 
to  McCombs  in  the  form  of  telegrams  and 
letters,   stating   that   unless   the    program 

was  abandoned  it  would  be  charged  that 

53 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Wilson  was  "sailing  under  false  colors". 
Indeed,  many  of  the  papers  were  announc- 
ing that  Governor  Wilson  had  been  "las- 
soed" by  Wall  Street,  and  that  the  evidence 
was  conclusive  by  reason  of  the  fact  that 
George  Harvey  supported  him.  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs  at  once  conferred  with  the  Governor. 

Will  any  one  now  assert  that  Woodrow 
Wilson  erred,  if  upon  these  grounds  alone, 
in  refusing  the  support  of  Harper's  Weekly? 

Senator  Tillman,  of  South  Carolina,  now 
enlivened  matters  by  engaging  in  a  con- 
troversy with  Colonel  Watterson  on  the 
subject  of  campaign  funds,  which  brought 
forth  the  following  statement  by  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs: 

"I  have  read  the  correspondence  interchanged 
between  Colonel  Watterson  and  Senator  Tillman 
which  appeared  in  this  morning's  papers.    *     *     * 

"From  the  beginning  of  the  campaign  for  Gover- 
nor Wilson  which  I  have  managed  I  have  received 
all  of  the  contributions  made  to  it.  They  have 
uniformly  been  made  by  people  who  had  no  in- 
terest except  the  consummation  of  the  ideals  which 

54 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

he   represents.     Not  one  of   them   expects   any 
return. 

"Any  communication  which  has  been  had  be- 
tween myself  and  Colonel  Watterson  regarding 
campaign  funds  has  taken  place  in  personal  inter- 
views between  him  and  myself.  I  intensely  dislike 
to  make  a  public  statement  of  a  private  conversa- 
tion, and  regret  very  much  that  Colonel  Wat- 
terson has  forced  me  to  do  so. 

"In  October  of  last  year  I  had  a  general  con- 
versation on  Presidential  politics  with  Colonel 
Watterson  at  the  Waldorf,  where  he  was  stopping. 
In  the  course  of  that  conversation  he  gave  it  as  his 
opinion  that  a  large  amount  of  money  would  be 
needed  and  volunteered  the  suggestion  that  he 
would  go  and  see  his  friend  Mr.  Ryan,  and  that  he 
was  sure  he  could  induce  him  to  make  a  very  large 
contribution  to  the  campaign. 

"I  said  to  him  that  we  could  not  take  Mr. 
Ryan's  money  and  that  such  contributions  were 
not  within  the  spirit  of  the  Woodrow  Wilson 
campaign.     His  reply  was: 

"  'I  have  been  in  politics  fifty  years  and  I  know 
that  money  and  not  patriotism  counts  in  a  Presi- 
dential campaign.' 

"I  repeated  to  Colonel  Watterson  that  we 
could  not  take  the  money.  Early  in  December 
I  met  him  again  and  he  renewed  the  discussion  of 
the  Ryan  contribution.  I  made  the  same  answer 
to  him  that  I  have  made  before. 

55 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

"I  heard  nothing  further  from  Colonel  Wat- 
terson  on  this  subject  and  thought  no  more  of  the 
conversation.    I  had  not  seen  him  since  that  time. 

"If  I  mistake  not  there  is  an  implication  perhaps 
in  Colonel  Watterson's  letter  to  Senator  Tillman — 
probably  not  intended — to  the  effect  that  he 
secured  funds  for  this  campaign  from  Mr.  Ryan. 
No  such  contribution  has  been  made,  and  this,  of 
course,  Colonel  Watterson  well  knows. 

"The  bombs  exploded  to  divert  attention  each 
time  Governor  Wilson  is  about  to  speak,  and 
exploding  in  the  hands  of  those  who  throw  them  are 
rendering  Wilson  a  real  service.  I  will  specify. 
Since  the  beginning  of  these  attacks  I  have  re- 
ceived in  my  mail  many  small  contributions  from 
all  over  the  country  from  people  who  have  not 
been  asked  to  contribute  and  who  neither  I  nor  the 
Governor  knows.  Their  letters  all  convey  expres- 
sion of  resentment  at  the  unfair  and  concerted 
attacks  that  are  being  made  upon  him." 

Colonel  Watterson  on  January  29th  re- 
turned the  following  broadside,  addressed 
"to  the  Democrats  of  the  United  States": 

"The  time  limit  set  on  my  stay  in  the  national 
capitol  being  about  to  expire,  and  Governor  Wilson 
having  refused  my  offer  as  to  the  issue  of  veracity 
he  has  raised  between  us  to  submit  proof  of  the 

56 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

truth  of  my  averment  to  party  associates  com- 
petent to  judge  both  of  its  character  and  the 
expediency  of  its  publication — " 

Note:  Colonel  Watterson  had  sug- 
gested that  a  Court  of  Honor  be  ap- 
pointed to  determine  as  to  the  veracity  of 
Governor  Wilson  or  himself  in  the  matter. 

"I  shall  bring  this  most  distasteful  episode  to  a 
close,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned. 

"The  claim  that  I  must  rush  into  print  with  this 
proof  emanates  either  from  the  perverse  or  the 
malignant.  I  have  it,  am  ready  under  proper 
supervision  to  produce  it,  and  can  be  asked  in 
reason  to  do  no  more.  If  I  should  publish  it  the 
very  men  who  are  demanding  that  I  shall  would 
be  first  to  accuse  me  of  reckless  disregard  of  what 
they  would  call  party  prudence  and  private  rights. 
The  sole  issue  is  whether  I  have  lied,  as  Governor 
Wilson  says  I  have,  or  he  has  lied,  which  I  have 
engaged  conclusively  to  show.  He  dare  not  face 
the  facts. 

"With  as  brief  a  review  as  may  be  of  the  cir- 
cumstances to  which  I  owe  the  misfortune  of  hav- 
ing made  Governor  Wilson's  acquaintance,  not  to 
mention  my  endorsement  of  his  plausible  but 
specious  pretensions,  I  shall  cease  to  trouble  the 
public  with  a  controversy  nowise  of  my  seeking. 

"During  the  early  summer  of  1910  I  was  passing 
a  week-end  with  Colonel  George  Harvey,  an  old 
friend,  at  Deal  Beach,  his  home  in  New  Jersey. 

57 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

There  arrived  for  dinner  Dr.  Woodrow  Wilson, 
then  President  of  Princeton,  and  the  Hon.  James 
Smith,  Jr.,  late  a  Senator  in  Congress. 

"Dr.  Wilson  I  had  never  met  before.  The  talk 
at  table  was  mainly  about  the  prospective  nomina- 
tion of  a  Democratic  candidate  for  Governor  of 
New  Jersey.  Drawn  into  the  conversation,  I 
ventured  the  opinion  that  if  nothing  more  than  a 
Governorship  was  in  sight  it  would  be  a  sacrifice 
for  Dr.  Wilson  to  quit  his  exalted  station  for  the 
head  of  the  bullring  of  politics  to  struggle  for 
preferment  so  ephemeral  and  uncertain. 

"That  was  probably  what  Colonel  Harvey,  who 
seemed  under  some  spell  wrought  by  Dr.  Wilson, 
had  planned. 

"Mr.  Smith  declared  that  he  wanted  nothing  for 
himself;  only  to  see  the  State  redeemed;  that  no 
one  but  Dr.  Wilson  could  redeem  it  and  the  like. 
In  due  season  Dr.  Wilson  was  nominated  and  elected. 

"Not  long  after  I  was  called  to  New  York,  the 
situation  in  New  Jersey  was  explained  to  me. 
I  was  told  that  Mr.  Smith  wished  to  return  to  the 
Senate,  despite  his  declaration  that  he  wanted 
nothing  for  himself,  that  there  had  been  a  primary 
election,  which  had  gone  by  default,  in  which  a 
person  of  the  name  of  Martine,  represented  as 
wholly  unfit,  had  obtained  a  rather  meager  vote, 
that  Governor  Wilson  held  Senator  Smith  to  his 
bond,  and  stood  by  the  party  pledge  touching 
primary  elections.     In  this  he  was  clearly  right. 

58 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

"The  Presidential  campaign,  to  which  the 
gubernatorial  election  had  served  as  prelude, 
began.  In  a  manner  I  had  been  dragooned,  I  will 
not  say  decoyed,  into  the  service  of  Governor 
Wilson  and  Colonel  Harvey.  The  succeeding  ten 
months  brought  me  into  confidential  relations 
with  Governor  Wilson.  Letters  passed  between  us. 
Upon  his  invitation  and  on  his  business  I  visited 
his  home  in  Princeton.  He  was  good  enough  last 
winter  to  come  to  the  steamer  to  see  me  off  for 
Europe.  We  were  even  caught  by  the  inevitable 
kodak  fiend  and  pictorialized  in  the  ribald  press 
side-by-side,  making  quite  a  touching  group. 

"I  found  him  a  man  of  polished  manners,  schol- 
arly attainments  and  undeniable  talents. 

"On  my  return  from  abroad  the  Governor  met 
me  in  New  York.  Again  in  November  and  De- 
cember we  foregathered  there.  In  short,  nothing 
was  wanting  to  the  most  cordial  and  unrestrained 
intimacy. 

"I  make  this  detailed  statement  because  the 
public  might  well  fancy  from  the  Governor's 
present  attitude  and  tone  that  I  had  in  some  way 
thrust  myself  upon  him,  and  that  my  friendship 
and  support  had  not  been  desired  by  him. 

"The  fortnight  immediately  preceding  the  inter- 
view at  the  Manhattan  Club,  of  which  I  have  been 
at  pains  to  say  as  little  as  was  needful  in  justice 
between  man  and  man,  and  men  and  men,  I  had 
done  what  I  could  in  the  interest  of  his  campaign. 

59 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

"I  was  met  on  my  arrival  in  New  York  by  a  most 
urgent  appeal  for  money  from  a  gentleman  of 
distinction,  closely  associated  with,  if  not  actually 
in  the  capacity  of  directing  the  Wilson  organiza- 
tion, and  in  answer  to  this  I  was  able  at  once  to 
secure  a  considerable  sum  of  money.  The  meeting 
at  the  Manhattan  Club  was  designed  still  further 
to  push  forward  and  perfect  the  work  of  organiza- 
tion. Else,  why  and  for  what  was  the  Governor 
there? 

"To  confuse  and  mislead  the  public  he  has 
latterly  adopted  a  policy  of  alternate  silence  and 
sneering.  Giving  the  lie  direct  to  my  statement 
that  I  -was  asked  to  help  the  financial  end  of  his 
campaign  and  declining  my  offer  to  submit  the 
proof  of  its  truth  to  a  body  of  gentlemen  and 
Democrats  equally  concerned  with  ourselves  for 
the  well-being  of  the  party,  he  thinks  to  cloud  the 
issue  and  escape  its  menace  by  turning  upon  me 
the  irresponsible  chatter  of  a  literary  bureau  which 
claims  to  live  off  the  immaculate  contributions  of 
subscribers  having  wings,  harps  and  halos,  and 
which  have  been  for  weeks  flooding  the  country 
with  every  manner  of  falsification.  The  very  exist- 
ence of  this,  to  say  nothing  of  the  courses  of  its 
being,  should  set  honest  people  to  thinking. 

"The  Ryan  story,  which  has  made  such  an  im- 
pression upon  the  unknowing  and  unreflecting, 
was,  as  far  as  it  related  to  Colonel  Harvey,  a  lie 
out   of   whole   cloth.      Though   Governor   Wilson 

60 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

knows  this,  he  has  allowed  it  to  circulate  without 
a  word  of  contradiction.  The  attempt  which 
followed  its  exposure  by  me,  to  make  it  appear 
that  I  have  intimated  that  application  was  made 
to  Mr.  Ryan,  is  cut  off  the  same  cloth,  and  is  char- 
acteristic of  the  duplicity  which  attached  itself  to 
the  entire  proceeding  of  the  Governor  and  his 
publicity  agents. 

"The  suggestion  of  Mr.  Ryan  was  eagerly 
caught  up  by  those  agents.  Fancy  a  political  pro- 
moter refusing  money  from  anywhere  or  anybody! 
But  when  I  spoke  to  Governor  Wilson  about  it  he 
said  some  uncivil  things  of  Mr.  Ryan,  expressing 
a  fear  that  if  the  knowledge  of  such  a  contribution 
got  abroad  it  might  do  more  harm  than  good — 
an  opinion  with  which  Colonel  Harvey  promptly 
concurred — and  the  matter  went  no  further."  *** 

Seated  at  the  table  in  the  Waldorf- 
Astoria  with  Messrs.  McCombs  and  Wat- 
terson,  when  Mr.  McCombs,  as  he  main- 
tained, refused  to  consider  a  contribution 
fromT.  F.  Ryan,  was  Mr.  Byron  R.  Newton. 

Mr.  Newton  and  myself  were  with  Mr. 
McCombs  at  his  apartment  in  the  Royal- 
ton,  when  the  latter  read  that  portion  of 
Colonel  Watterson's  statement  referring  to 

the  eagerness  of  "those  agents"  for  Ryan's 

61 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

financial  assistance,  whereupon  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs  requested  Newton  to  issue  a  state- 
ment to  the  effect  that  he  had  been  one  of 
the  party  at  the  conference  and  that  such  a 
contribution  had  in  fact  been  refused. 

Mr.  Newton  declined  to  do  so,  upon  the 
ground  that  he  understood  financial  assist- 
ance would  be  welcome,  whereupon  Mr. 
McCombs  gave  out  the  following  upon  Mr. 
Newton's  promise  not  to  enter  a  denial: 

"An  analysis  of  Colonel  Watterson's  statement 
shows  that  he  himself  refutes  every  charge  he  has 
made  in  this — no,  not  controversy,  for  it  isn't 
that — in  this  discussion. 

"He  says  that  a  'literary  bureau*  is  busily  en- 
gaged in  circulating  some  story  and  that  neither 
Governor  Wilson  nor  his  managers  are  doing 
anything  to  stop  it.  Now,  every  statement  I  have 
made — and  there  have  been  but  two — has  been 
made  formally  and  in  public.  There  has  been 
nothing  surreptitious  about  it.  In  my  last  state- 
ment I  adverted  to  the  charge  that  Mr.  Ryan 
and  his  money  had  to  do  with  the  'break'  between 
Governor  Wilson  and  Colonel  Harvey. 

"Colonel  Watterson  now  says  that  Mr.  Ryan 
never  knew  anything  about  this  matter.  That 
confirms    absolutely    what    I    said.      That   if   we 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Wilson  managers  had  been  so  eager  for  Mr.  Ryan's 
money,  why  didn't  Colonel  Watterson  take  the 
matter  up  with  Mr.  Ryan  and  get  some  of  it  for  us? 
He  says  that  Governor  Wilson  objected  to  it, 
which  does  away  with  the  charge  that  the  managers 
were  eager  for  it.  As  a  matter  of  fact  Governor 
Wilson  has  no  'managers';  I  am  his  only  manager. 
"This,  it  seems  to  me,  puts  the  matter  squarely 
up  to  Colonel  Watterson  himself.  The  whole 
Ryan  story  has  been  his.  He  should  also  name 
that  'man  of  distinction'  who,  he  says,  met  him  in 
New  York  to  urge  his  activity  in  the  matter  of 
raising  money.  That,  too,  is  part  of  his  own 
story."  *** 

The  following  day  at  headquarters  Mr. 
McCombs  again  begged  Mr.  Newton  (the 
"man  of  distinction"  to  whom  Colonel 
Watterson  referred)  to  assist  him  and  give 
out  a  statement,  thus  clearing  the  Ryan 
matter,  but  Mr.  Newton  positively  refused, 
and  his  action  brought  about  the  estrange- 
ment which  resulted  in  his  resignation. 

Mr.  Hearst,  one  of  the  leading  sup- 
porters of  Speaker  Clark,  was  vigorously 
attacking  the  candidacy  of  Governor  Wilson 

through  the  columns  of  his  powerful  papers, 

63 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

and  Mr.  McCombs  received  word  that  he 
was  pounding  away  with  a  vengeance  in 
Illinois.  It  was  thereupon  arranged  that 
the  Governor  should  speak  on  February 
12th — Lincoln's  Birthday — in  the  LaSalle 
Hotel,  Chicago,  at  a  luncheon  given  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Wilson  organization, 
which  had  been  established  through  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs and  at  the  head  of  which  were  such 
splendid  workers  as  Wm.  Brown,  Jr.,  a  well- 
known  Chicago  attorney;  Judge  Lawrence 
B.  Stringer,  of  Lincoln,  Illinois;  Irving  Schu- 
man,  a  banker  of  Sullivan,  Illinois ;  and  Rivers 
McNeil,  who  later  was  appointed  Collector  of 
the  Port  of  Chicago;  but  Governor  Wilson, 
though  he  reached  the  heights  of  eloquence 
during  his  masterly  address,  failed  to  stem 
the  tide  in  favor  of  Speaker  Clark.  I  shall 
never  forget  the  expression  on  the  face  of 
Senator  Saulsbury,  who  accompanied  Mr. 
McCombs  and  myself,  while  he  nervously 

pulled     his    large    mustache    and    finally 

64 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

stated:  "Hell,  come  on,  let's  go  to  Kansas." 
The  newspapers  would  hardly  give  us  space. 

The  Governor's  address  was,  however, 
put  into  pamphlet  form  and  disseminated 
throughout  Illinois  and  in  other  States 
where  the  cause  might  be  benefited,  but  our 
activities  so  far  as  Illinois  was  concerned 
produced  no  "balm  in  Gilead". 

Governor  Wilson  now  led  the  way  into 
Kansas,  where  he  made  a  number  of  ad- 
dresses and  wound  up  with  a  rather  dis- 
appointing talk  in  Topeka  on  the  22d — 
Washington's  Birthday.  The  stage  had  all 
been  set  for  the  "Star",  but  it  was  manifest 
that  he  was  very  tired,  and  in  the  words  of 
the  vaudeville  comedian,  "the  act  fell  flat". 

The  following  day,  after  the  Governor 

had    departed,    Mr.    McCombs    and    Mr. 

Saulsbury    endeavored    to    straighten    out 

their  lines  by  holding  a  conference  at  the 

Baltimore    Hotel,    Kansas    City,    with    a 

number  of  followers,  the  leader  of  whom 
5  65 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

was  Henderson  S.  Martin,  later  appointed 
Viee-Governor  of  the  Philippines,  who, 
however,  informed  us  to  be  prepared  for  the 
worst  in  the  primaries,  as  the  State  had 
been  flooded  with  the  diatribes  of  Ex- 
Senator  R.  F.  Pettigrew  and  former  Con- 
gressman George  Fred  Williams,  lieutenants 
of  Speaker  Clark,  which  had  taken  firm 
hold  and  could  not  well  be  uprooted. 
True  to  his  prediction  the  State  was  lost, 
and  shortly  thereafter  Mr.  McCombs  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  Governor  Wilson,  as 
follows : 

***  "As  I  have  said  before,  one  of  the 
difficulties  of  your  campaign  is  that  you 
have  not  had  an  opportunity  to  come  in 
intimate  contact  with  as  many  people 
as  the  other  candidates.  Clark's  organ- 
ization is  built  up  through  members  and 
ex-members  of  Congress  with  whom  he  has 
had  a  long  and  personal  relationship.  This 
is  a  very  strong  influence  and  it  is  having 
its  effect. 

"I  was  in  Washington  for  an  hour  on 
my  way  here  and  was  told  of  the  adverse 
result  in  Kansas.  We  had  by  all  odds  the 
66 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

cream  of  the  organization  there  with  us, 
and  they  worked  very  hard,  I  am  told. 
This  illustrates  the  necessity  of  your 
sending  for  your  friends  in  Congress  and 
having  them  come  to  see  you.  They  would 
be  very  glad  to  do  it,  and  I  think  it  would 
have  great  influence.*** 

"The  George  Fred  Williams  and  Petti- 
grew  letters  are  the  basis  of  attack  in  the 
Middle  West.  It  succeeded  in  Kansas 
and  is  succeeding  in  Iowa."  *** 

Mr.  Saulsbury,  Mr.  McCombs,  and  my- 
self now  traveled  through  Kentucky  en- 
deavoring to  strengthen  the  weak  spots, 
and  conferences  were  had  with  Hon.  Urey 
Woodson,  Hon.  Desha  Breckenridge,  and 
Governor  Beckham. 

Upon  our  return  to  New  York  on  Feb- 
ruary 28th,  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
Clark  leaders  were  bombarding  Governor 
Wilson  with  renewed  energy,  the  basis  of 
their  attack,  as  heretofore,  being  a  state- 
ment Governor  Wilson  had  made  in  his 
"History  of  the  American  People",  to  the 

effect  that  Chinese  labor  was  preferable  in 

67 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

this  country  to  that  of  the  Italians,  Poles, 
and  Hungarians.  In  California,  for  in- 
stance, it  was  playing  havoc  to  such  an 
extent  that  Senator  James  D.  Phelan,  one 
of  the  Wilson  leaders  there,  was  sorely  per- 
plexed and  wrote  Mr.  McCombs  in  the 
matter,  which  brought  the  following  reply: 

"I  have  written  a  letter  to  Governor  Wilson  with 
reference  to  the  Chinese  matter.  My  suggestion  is 
that  you  write  him  a  letter  with  reference  to  his 
position  on  the  matter  and  let  him  answer  you.  He 
has  recently  written  a  letter  to  Mr.  Aylward  of 
Wisconsin,  in  which  he  stated  that  with  reference 
to  the  Italians,  Poles  and  Hungarians  he  was 
referring  to  the  period  in  which  pauper  labor  was 
imported  into  the  United  States  under  contracts. 
This  vicious  practice  led  up  to  the  enactment  in 
the  late  80's  of  the  Anti-Contract  Labor  Law."  *** 

Governor  Wilson  was  communicated  with 
in  the  matter  by  Mr.  McCombs,  as  follows: 

"I  have  a  letter  from  Mr.  Phelan  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, our  leader  there,  in  which  he  says  that  the 
Chinese  portion  of  your  history  is  hurting  you.*** 
Of  course  I  take  it  the  reference  in  your  history  has 
been  misinterpreted.  As  I  understand  it  you  were 
merely  referring  to  the  Chinese  as  industrial  units 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

and  comparing  their  efficiency  as  laborers  with  the 
contract  pauper  labor  that  was  brought  over  here. 
As  I  read  your  history  you  did  not  deal  in  any  way 
with  reference  to  the  advisability  of  permitting 
unrestricted  immigration  or  upon  the  character  of 
their  citizenship.  I  think  Mr.  Phelan  is  going  to 
write  you  about  the  matter.  A  reply  setting  forth 
your  position,  which  he  would  make  public,  would 
be  of  advantage  to  the  situation.' '  *** 

The  suggestion  of  Mr.  McCombs  was  ac- 
cepted by  the  Governor,  and  some  of  the 
strength  which  Speaker  Clark  held  in 
sections  where  this  Chinese  matter  had  been 
beautifully  worked  up  was  neutralized. 

On  March  4th  I  journeyed  to  St.  Louis 

on  a  political  mission,  and  then  crossed 

over    to    Chicago,    where    Mr.    McCombs 

awaited  me,  for  a  conference  with  Roger 

Sullivan,  who  stated  that  the  prospects  of 

Wilson  carrying  Illinois  in  the  primaries 

were  hopeless;  that  Mr.  Hearst  had  made 

too  great  inroads  through  his  attacks,  and 

that  the  minds  of  large  numbers  of  the 

foreign  element  had  been  poisoned. 

We  turned  our  eyes  to  the  South  and  on 
69 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

March  17th  arrived  in  Georgia,  making  the 
Bon  Air  Hotel  at  Augusta,  our  head- 
quarters, Mr.  McCombs  having  requested 
Vick  to  act  with  Colonel  House  in  an  advi- 
sory capacity  during  his  absence.  With 
the  able  assistance  of  Senator  Saulsbury, 
who  had  preceded  us,  Mr.  McCombs  was 
brought  in  touch  with  many  of  the  leaders 
throughout  that  section  of  the  country. 

McCombs  now  reached  the  conclusion 
that  a  triple  alliance  existed  between  Mr. 
Underwood,  Mr.  Clark,  and  Mr.  Harmon 
to  beat  Governor  Wilson,  and  wrote  Colonel 
House  as  follows: 

"There  is  not  the  slightest  doubt  that 
Clark,  Harmon,  and  Underwood  are  being 
financed  from  the  same  source.  The 
former  Harmon  people  in  the  West  are 
now  Clark  people,  and  I  find  that  the 
former  Harmon  people  in  the  South  are 
now  Underwood  people,  and  that  neither 
Underwood  nor  Clark  are  running  in  the 
East.  It  is  a  question  with  us  as  to 
whether  the  people  in  Wall  Street  shall 
be  able  to  get  this  nomination  by  the 
70 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

use  of  money.  My  idea  is  that  on  all 
hands  we  howl  about  it  and  in  that  way 
we  can  nullify  the  efforts  they  are  mak- 
ing. 

"I  have  been  a  good  deal  concerned 
about  Texas  from  what  I  have  heard 
from  various  sources,  but  I  take  your  as- 
surances as  to  the  situation  there  as 
absolute."  *** 

On  March  24th  Mr.  McCombs  and  my- 
self arrived  in  Atlanta  and  conferred  with 
James  D.  McNeel  and  General  Bibb  Graves, 
who  with  Governor  B.  B.  Comer  and 
Walker  W.  Vick  were  later  instrumental  in 
holding  the  Alabama  Delegation  in  line  for 
Underwood  until  it  should  break  in  favor  of 
Governor  Wilson.  But  this  phase  of  the 
proceedings  will  be  taken  up  later. 

Our  next  stop  was  New  Orleans,  where 
Mr.  McCombs  got  in  touch  with  that  good 
old  war-horse  Colonel  Robert  Ewing,  Na- 
tional Committeeman  for  Louisiana,  and 
much  was  accomplished  in  the  way  of  seeing 
that  his  State  would  remain  neutral  as  be- 
tween   Clark   and   Wilson,   as   would   also 

71 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Mississippi,  McCombs  having  been  brought 
in  touch  with  Lieutenant-Governor  Bilbo 
of  the  latter  State. 

Upon  our  arrival  in  Little  Rock,  Ar- 
kansas, we  found  that  the  Clark  forces  had 
stolen  a  long  march  on  us  and  that  the 
Speaker  could  not  be  withheld  from  carry- 
ing the  primaries,  so  we  returned  to  Chicago, 
where  Roger  Sullivan  finally  informed  us 
that  Illinois  would  be  lost,  mainly  through 
Mr.  Hearst's  onslaughts  of  Governor  Wilson. 

At  this  time  Mr.  McCombs  was  in- 
debted to  the  extent  of  some  $40,000,  and 
was  planning  day  and  night  to  procure  the 
whole  or  part  thereof.  He  was  aware  that 
his  bright  chances  for  obtaining  funds  had 
gone  aglimmering  with  Speaker  Clark  mak- 
ing such  inroads  in  States  where  he  had 
hoped  the  Governor  would  prevail.  He 
had,  however,  one  hope  in  the  form  of  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  Mr.  Charles  R. 
Crane,  of  Chicago,  which  had  been  sent  him 

by  Mr.  Mark  Sullivan,  of  Collier's  Weekly, 

72 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

in  response  to  his  (McCombs')  appeal,  as 
follows : 

"My  dear  Sullivan: 

"Your  letter  of  March  8th  has  been 
forwarded  to  me  in  Georgia. 

"The  enclosure  was  very  interesting. 
I  hope  to  get  back  to  New  York  very 
shortly.  Before  I  return  I  shall  go  into 
Chicago  and  see  Mr.  Crane.  Can't  yoa 
help  me  a  little  bit  with  a  letter?  You 
of  course  understand  what  I  want.  With 
kind  regards,  I  am,  Yours  sincerely/' 

Mr.  Crane  presented  his  cheek  for 
$5,000,  but  McCombs  was  still  some  $35,000 
"in  the  hole",  and  even  Henry  Morgen- 
thau's  $4,000  a  month  could  not  dis- 
sipate the  blackness  which  seemed  to 
permeate  the  financial  atmosphere,  for  ere 
Mr.  McCombs  had  fondled  Mr.  Crane's  con- 
tribution long,  a  call  for  the  "life  buoy" 
came  from  Wisconsin,  where  Hon.  Joseph 
E.  Davies,  later  Chairman  of  the  Federal 
Trade  Commission,  was  making  a  gallant 
fight  to  save  the  State  for  Governor  Wilson 

in  the  coming  primaries,  and  the  $5,000 

73 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

took  flight  to  Madison,  accompanied  by  a 
letter  from  McCombs  to  Mr.  Da  vies  in 
which  he  stated: 

"Here  is  some  bloody  sweat.  Return  it  to  me 
if  you  can." 

On  April  9th  in  the  Illinois  primaries, 
Speaker  Clark  won  by  over  140,000  ma- 
jority. 

On  April  30th  Massachusetts  gave  Clark 
an  overwhelming  majority,  and  the  Speaker 
duplicated  in  Rhode  Island. 

Mr.  McCombs  became  disheartened.  He 
addressed  a  letter  to  Governor  Wilson,  as 
follows : 

"My  dear  Governor: 

"The  fight  seems  to  be  going  against  us, 
but  be  assured  I  shall  not  abate  my  efforts 
and  I  still  think  you  have  a  chance  to  be 
nominated.  Sincerely  yours." 

I  remember  distinctly  Governor  Wilson's 
reply,  to  the  effect  that  Texas  would  be  all 
right,  as  well  as  Pennsylvania,  and  these 

States,  together  with  votes  which  he  would 

74 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

receive  from  some  of  the  others,  would  place 
him  in  a  very  fair  position. 

Governor  Wilson  was  victor  in  the  Wis- 
consin primaries  by  9,000  plurality. 

On  April  19th  Nebraska  was  instructed 
for  Speaker  Clark,  and  on  the  same  day 
Oregon  instructed  for  Wilson. 

On  May  6th  Maryland  in  State  Conven- 
tion supported  Clark,  and  the  following  day 
Pennsylvania  in  Convention  endorsed  Wil- 
son. 

On  May  14th  Clark  captured  California 
by  20,000  votes,  and  he  repeated  two  days 
later  in  Iowa. 

Mr.  McCombs'  office  and  the  head- 
quarters at  42  Broadway  were  deserted. 
It  appeared  as  though  many  of  the  sup- 
porters of  a  month  or  two  ago  were  now 
leaning  strongly  toward  Speaker  Clark's 
candidacy,  and  from  information  that  we 
received  the  Clark  forces  were  jubilant  and 
confident  of  victory.    Mr.  McAdoo,  Senator 

Saulsbury,   Mr.   Elkus,   Mr.   Morgenthau, 

75 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

and  a  few  other  staunch  friends  were  about 
all  that  called  and  conferred. 

New  Jersey,  which  held  its  presidential 
primary  on  May  28th,  gave  Governor 
Wilson  a  majority  of  16,000  and  twenty- 
four  of  the  twenty-eight  delegates,  the  sore 
spot  being  Essex  County,  former  Senator 
James  Smith's  bailiwick. 

And  be  it  known  that  Governor  Burke,  of 
North  Dakota,  although  a  "favorite  son" 
candidate  for  the  Presidency,  had  written 
Mr.  McCombs  that  he  would  turn  over  his 
delegation  to  Governor  Wilson  whenever 
the  word  was  given.  He  was  rewarded  with 
the  appointment  of  United  States  Treas- 
urer. 

By  June  1,  1912,  the  conventions  and 
primaries  in  the  States  were  at  an  end. 

The  leaders  in  some  of  the  States  which 

it  had  been  impossible  for  Mr.  McCombs 

and  myself  to  visit,  such  as  Colorado,  Utah, 

Maine,  and  Tennessee,  were  supplied  with 

"working  capital",  and  it  was  confidently 

76 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

expected  that  their  delegations  would  "fall 
into  the  bag"  in  due  course.  They  per- 
formed admirably. 

The  contributions  which  Mr.  McCombs 
had  received  during  the  prenomination 
campaign  totaled  approximately  $210,000, 
of  which  Charles  R.  Crane,  Chicago,  111.; 
Cleveland  H.  Dodge,  Henry  Morgenthau, 
Abram  I.  Elkus,  James  Sheldon,  F.  C.  Pen- 
field,  and  Walter  L.  McCorkle,  of  New  York 
City;  Joseph F.  Guffy,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.;  John 
Martin,  Stapleton,  N.  Y.;  James  Sprunt, 
Wilmington,  N.  C;  Edward  W.  Filene, 
Boston,  Mass. ;  Hugh  MacRae,  Wilmington, 
N.  C;  C.  A.  Snow,  Washington,  D.  C; 
John  Barton  Payne,  Chicago,  111.;  John  P. 
Parker,  Munro,  La.;  and  Walter  H.  Page, 
Garden  City,  Long  Island,  were  the  princi- 
pal subscribers. 


77 


CHAPTER  II 
The  Baltimore  Convention 

ON  June  18th,  Mr.  Vick  and  I  arrived 
at  the  Emerson  Hotel,  Baltimore,  where 
arrangements  were  perfected  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  Wilson  Headquarters,  and  rooms 
were  engaged  for  Mr.  McCombs,  Senator 
Gore,  and  a  number  of  other  workers. 
Mr.  McCombs  had  also  personally  ar- 
ranged for  a  private  suite  in  the  Latrobe 
Apartments,  arriving  in  Baltimore  on  the 
20th. 

On  June  21st  the  name  of  Hon.  Alton  B. 
Parker,  of  New  York,  having  been  pre- 
sented for  the  office  of  Temporary  Chair- 
man of  the  Democratic  National  Con- 
vention, Mr.  Bryan  stoutly  opposed  him 
on  the  ground  that  he  had  been  nominated 
to  lead  the  forces  of  Democracy  four  years 

previous  through  the  activities  of  Thomas 

78 


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tSf&^SnLA^^ 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

F.  Ryan  and  August  Belmont,  and  that  he 
was  a  reactionary.  The  Great  Commoner 
had  sent  the  following  telegram  to  Messrs. 
Clark,  Wilson,  Underwood,  and  Harmon: 

"In  the  interest  of  harmony  I  suggested  to  the 
sub-committee  of  the  Democratic  National  Com- 
mittee the  advisability  of  recommending  as 
Temporary  Chariman  some  Progressive  acceptable 
to  the  leading  Progressive  candidates  for  the 
Presidential  nomination.  I  take  it  for  granted 
that  no  committeeman  interested  in  Democratic 
success  would  desire  to  offend  the  members  of  a 
convention  overwhelmingly  progressive  by  naming 
a  reactionary  to  sound  the  keynote  of  the  cam- 
paign. 

"Eight  members  of  the  sub-committee,  how- 
ever, have,  over  the  protest  of  the  remaining  eight, 
agreed  upon  not  only  a  reactionary  but  upon  the 
one  Democrat,  who  among  those  not  candidates 
for  the  Presidential  nomination,  is,  in  the  eyes  of 
the  public  most  conspicuously  identified  with  the 
reactionary  element  of  the  Party. 

"I  shall  be  pleased  to  join  you  and  your  friends 
in  opposing  his  selection  by  the  full  committee  or 
by  the  Convention." 

On  the  22d,  Governor  Wilson  called  up 
Mr.    McCombs   at   Headquarters,    where- 

79 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

upon  I  was  requested  to  take  the  reply  that 
the  Governor  had  sent  to  Mr.  Bryan,  part 
of  which  had  been  suggested  by  McCombs, 
and  which  was  as  follows : 

"You  are  quite  right.  Before  hearing  of  your 
message  I  clearly  stated  my  position.  The  Balti- 
more Convention  is  to  be  a  convention  of  Progres- 
sives, of  men  who  are  progressive  in  principle  and 
by  conviction.  It  must,  if  it  is  not  to  be  put  in  a 
wrong  light  in  its  own  organization,  express  its 
convictions  in  its  organization  and  in  its  choice  of 
men  who  are  to  speak  for  it.  You  are  to  be  a 
member  of  this  convention  and  are  entirely  within 
your  rights  in  doing  everything  within  your  power 
to  bring  that  result  about.  No  one  will  doubt 
where  my  sympathies  lie,  and  you  will,  I  am  sure, 
find  my  friends  in  the  convention  acting  upon  clear 
conviction  and  always  in  the  interest  of  the 
peoples'  cause.  I  am  happy  in  the  confidence  that 
they  need  no  suggestion  from  me." 

Mr.  McCombs  was  exceedingly  disap- 
pointed, for  he  had  advised  that  no  direct 
committal  be  made  on  the  question,  but 
the  statement  made  by  Mr.  Tumulty  that 
McCombs  threw  himself  across  a  bed  and 

wept  is  erroneous.     Mr.  McCombs  was  too 

80 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

busy  to  weep.  Mr.  Tumulty's  assertion, 
having  been  based  on  hearsay,  is  of  little 
weight,  as  are  any  other  of  his  statements 
with  regard  to  the  prenomination  campaign, 
the  Baltimore  Convention,  or  the  Presi- 
dential Campaign,  for  the  reasons  that  he 
was  not  directly  connected  with  the  pre- 
nomination  campaign,  was  not  at  the 
Baltimore  Convention,  having  remained  at 
Sea  Girt,  N.  J.,  and  was  only  at  Head- 
quarters a  few  times  during  the  Presidential 
campaign. 

After  the  convention  had  been  called  to 
order  by  Chairman  Norman  E.  Mack  on 
June  25th,  he  submitted,  on  instruction  of 
the  National  Committee,  the  name  of  Hon. 
Alton  B.  Parker  for  Temporary  Chairman. 
Mr.  Bryan  presented  the  name  of  Hon. 
John  W.  Kern,  of  Indiana,  and  stated  that 
in  the  interest  of  harmony  he  had  advised 
the  Committee  to  consult  the  two  leading 
candidates,  who  together  had  nearly  two- 
thirds  of  the  vote  of  the  convention  in- 
6  81 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

structed  for  them,  and  get  their  approval 
of  some  man's  nomination  so  that  there 
might  be  no  contest;  that  in  the  sub- 
committee the  friends  of  Mr.  Clark  and  the 
friends  of  Mr.  Wilson  were  not  able  to 
agree,  but  that  in  the  full  committee  of  the 
night  before  the  friends  of  Mr.  Wilson 
joined  the  friends  of  Mr.  Clark  in  the  sup- 
port of  Hon.  Ollie  James,  Speaker  Clark's 
choice,  and  yet  the  Committee  turned 
down  the  joint  request  thus  made. 

The  day  before  Mr.  McCombs,  Mr. 
Saulsbury,  Robert  S.  Hudspeth,  Senator 
Gore,  A.  Mitchell  Palmer,  Joseph  E.  Davies, 
and  other  friends  had  decided  to  swing  their 
delegates  to  Mr.  James,  who  was  both  Mr. 
Bryan's  and  Mr.  Clark's  friend,  and  thus 
be  placed  in  splendid  position. 

Mr.  Kern  refused  the  nomination,  and 
finally  placed  Mr.  Bryan  himself  before  the 
convention  as  the  nominee. 

Mr.  McCombs  now  played  to  Mr.  Bryan, 

inasmuch  as  he  was  convinced  Governor 

82 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Wilson's  attitude  toward  the  Colonel  de- 
manded it,  and  he  told  me  that  he  would 
rise  or  fall  with  this  program. 

The  result  of  the  vote  on  the  temporary 
chairmanship  was  Parker  579,  Bryan  508, 
with  the  original  Wilson  States,  Delaware, 
New  Jersey,  Minnesota,  North  Dakota, 
Oregon,  Pennsylvania,  Texas,  and  Wis- 
consin, voting  in  accordance  with  Mr. 
McCombs'  and  the  steering  committee's 
orders,  for  Bryan. 

The  Clark  forces  threw  their  vote  to 
Parker. 

Bryan  was  defeated,  but  McCombs  and 
his  friends  had  been  the  warriors  that  cast 
their  fatal  lances  into  the  candidacy  of 
Speaker  Clark,  and  when  I  saw  McCombs 
later  that  night  he  said:  "Don't  worry, 
Bryan's  strength  will  eventually  be  placed 
in  the  lap  of  the  Governor". 

In  the  midst  of  this  melee  Colonel  House 

was  called  to  Europe,  sailing  from  Boston, 

but  before  embarking  he  wrote  two  letters 

83 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

to  Governor  Wilson,  the  first'  of  which 
recommended  the  formation  in  the  conven- 
tion of  a  flying  squadron  of  ten  delegates, 
they  to  work  among  others  and  thus  form  as 
many  tens  as  could  be  mustered,  with  a 
view  of  obtaining  the  greatest  efficiency. 

The  second  communication  set  forth  the 
opinion  that  if  Speaker  Clark  was  not 
nominated  on  the  early  ballots,  Wilson's 
chances  of  becoming  the  nominee  would 
be  much  brighter,  and  the  Colonel  sug- 
gested, in  the  event  of  the  Governor's 
nomination,  that  Wm.  F.  McCombs,  Sen- 
ator James  A.  O'Gorman,  and  Congressman 
A.  S.  Burleson  be  placed  in  charge  of  the 
presidential  campaign. 

Governor  Wilson  thereupon  sent  the 
letters  to  Mr.  Vick,  at  the  Emerson  Hotel, 
Baltimore,  stating  that  he  had  a  very  high 
regard  for  the  opinions  of  Colonel  House, 
and  requesting  that  McCombs  make  the 
best  possible  use  of  the  Colonel's  sugges- 
tions. 

84 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

The  first  ballot  on  the  Presidential  can- 
didacy was  taken  June  28th  at  about 
6.30  a.  m.,  Clark  receiving  440j^  votes,  and 
Wilson  324  votes,  about  20  more  than 
Mr.  McCombs  had  figured  on,  and  the 
Clark  forces  being  apparently  satisfied  withf 
their  strength  on  the  initial  test,  moved, 
through  Senator  Luke  Lea,  that  the  con- 
vention adjourn  until  4  p.  m.  Mr.  McCombs 
and  his  friends  desired  that  the  voting 
continue,  and  accordingly  National  Com- 
mitteeman Robert  Ewing,  of  Louisiana, 
moved  to  lay  Senator  Lea's  motion  on  the 
table,  but  on  a  vote  of  the  question,  the y 
Clark  forces  prevailed. 

The  situation  in  Oklahoma  was  a  pe- 
culiar one,  in  that  for  the  sake  of  harmony 
the  delegation  had  been  divided  equally 
between  Clark  and  Wilson,  with  Senator 
Gore  and  "Alfalfa  Bill"  Murray  piloting  the 
destinies  of  the  Governor  under  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs.   On  the  tenth  ballot  Delegate  Hite 

demanded  a  poll  of  the  delegation,  with  a 

85 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

view  of  causing  its  vote  to  be  recorded  for 
Clark,  but  Murray  explained  that  being  a 
member  of  the  Wilson  unit,  Mr.  Hite's 
vote  would  have  to  be  recorded  for  the 
Governor,  and  his  contention  was  sus- 
tained. 

Mr.  McCombs'  plan  also  was  to  have  his 
friends  on  the  delegations  for  Clark,  Under- 
wood, and  Harmon  demand  that  polls  be 
taken  and  thus  demonstrate  the  strength 
of  Wilson,  even  though  it  could  not  be 
exercised  because  of  the  unit  rule.  This 
procedure  started  on  the  third  ballot  with 
Ohio,  in  which  it  was  shown  that  Wilson 
had  13  votes,  and  then  came  Arizona  with 

1  vote;  Idaho,  2  votes;  Tennessee,  5}/% 
votes;  Washington,  %x/i  votes;  Wyoming, 

2  votes;  Iowa,  9  votes;  New  York,  9  votes, 
and  later  New  Mexico,  West  Virginia, 
Florida  and  Maryland  all  showed  much 
strength  for  Wilson. 

The  effect  of  these  polls  upon  large 
numbers  of  delegates  could  not  be  over- 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

estimated.  It  was  MeCombs'  idea  and  he 
should  have  credit  for  it. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  tenth  ballot  on 
which  Speaker  Clark  received  556  votes  and 
Governor  Wilson  350}/£,  whereupon  Chair- 
man James  announced  that  no  candidate 
having  received  two-thirds  of  the  vote  cast 
no  nomination  was  made;  that  Mr.  Clark 
having  received  eleven  more  than  a  major- 
ity was  not  the  nominee  until  he  received 
two-thirds. 

Congressman  A.  Mitchell  Palmer,  one  of 
the  pioneers  in  the  Wilson  movement  and  a 
member  of  the  steering  committee,  rose  to  a 
parliamentary  inquiry  as  to  what  was  the 
purpose  of  the  Chair  in  announcing  that  one 
candidate  had  received  a  majority  of  the 
votes. 

Chairman  James  replied  that  he  wished 
it  to  be  understood  that  a  majority  does  not 
nominate,  but  that  under  the  rules  of  the 
convention  it  took  two-thirds.  The  Chair- 
man was  "cornered",  for  in  Mr.  Palmer 

87 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

he  faced  a  seasoned  parliamentarian  and  a 
splendidly  equipped  debater. 

Mr.  McCombs  in  his  autobiograplry 
sets  forth  that  A.  Mitchell  Palmer  sought 
the  Presidential  nomination.  The  state- 
ment is  erroneous.  Palmer  fought  from 
first  to  last  for  the  nomination  of  Woodrow 
Wilson  and  never  abated  his  efforts  until 
victory  was  won. 

The  States  of  Alabama,  Georgia,  Florida, 
Louisiana,  and  Mississippi  were  ready  to 
swing  to  Clark  on  this  ballot,  but  Mr. 
McCombs'  friends  on  or  accompanying 
those  delegations  held  them  in  line  for 
Underwood  until  the  break  on  the  forty- 
sixth  ballot,  when  there  was  no  alternative 
but  to  be  for  Wilson.  They  totaled  94 
votes,  which,  had  they  gone  to  Clark  would 
have  given  him  650  votes,  and  there  would 
have  been  a  stampede  to  him,  for  75  J^  more 
votes  would  have  made  him  the  nominee. 

Let  it  be  noted  to  the  credit  of  Mr. 

Walker  W.   Vick  that  he,  in  conjunction 

88 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

with  General  Bibb  Graves,  former  Governor 
Comer,  and  others,  held  the  Alabama 
Delegation  in  check.  Vick  then  turned  to 
Florida  and  with  the  assistance  of  Frank 
L.  Mayes,  of  Pensacola,  and  National  Com- 
mitteeman J.  T.  G.  Crawford,  held  the 
State  in  line  against  the  onslaughts  of  the 
Clark  leaders.  The  Georgia  Delegation, 
sensing  a  tornado,  gave  Vick  the  word  that 
she  would  declare  for  Wilson  as  soon  as 
Alabama  led  the  way^ 

On  June  29th,  Governor  Wilson  called 
Mr.  McCombs  on  the  telephone  in  the  con- 
vention hall.  Mr.  Vick  and  myself  were 
requested  to  take  his  message.  The  sheet 
containing  the  first  part  of  the  message  be- 
came torn  and  I  therefore  had  it  type- 
written, for  it  was  the  Governor's  wish  that 
it  be  handed  to  Mr.  Bryan.  Here  is  the 
first  part  of  the  message: 

"It  has  become  known  that  the  present 
deadlock  is  being  maintained  for  the  pur- 
pose of  enabling  New  York,  a  delegation 
89 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

controlled  by  a  single  group  of  men,  to 
determine  the  nominee  and  thus  bind  the 
candidate  to  them.  In  these  circumstances 
it  is  the  imperative  duty  of  each  candidate 
for  the  nomination  to  see  to  it  that  his  own 
independence  is  beyond  question.  I  can 
see  no  other  way  to  do  this  than  to  declare 
that  he  will  not  accept  the  nomination  if 
it  cannot  be  secured  without  the  aid  of 
that  delegation.  For  myself  I  have  no 
hesitation  in  making  that  declaration. 
The  freedom  of  the  Party  and  its  candi- 
date and  the  security  of  the  Government 
against  private  control  constitutes  the 
supreme  consideration. 

Woodrow  Wilson." 

The  second  part  of  the  message  was: 

"The  only  reason  the  Governor  does  not 
cause  the  publication  of  this  statement  is 
because  his  vote  in  the  convention  having 
stood  still,  he  (the  Governor)  would  re- 
gard it  as  a  reflection  on  himself  because 
his  position  of  independence  is  so  well 
known." 

The  above  message  was  received  while 

the  thirteenth  ballot  was  being  taken. 

When  the  Secretary  proceeded  to  call 
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THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

the  roll  for  the  fourteenth  ballot  and  reached 
the  State  of  Nebraska,  Delegate  Loomis 
asked  that  it  be  passed  for  the  present.  A 
little  later  Nebraska  was  again  called 
and  Senator  Hitchcock  requested  that  the 
Delegation  be  polled. 

When  the  name  of  William  Jennings 
Bryan  was  called,  the  great  Commoner  rose 
to  explain  his  vote,  and  stated  that  as  long 
as  Ryan's  agent — as  long  as  New  York's 
ninety  votes  were  recorded  for  Speaker 
Clark,  he  (Bryan)  would  withhold  his  vote 
from  him,  and  as  the  announcement  was  to 
be  made  as  to  how  it  would  be  cast  a 
demonstration  took  place.  Senator  Stone, 
one  of  Mr.  Clark's  managers,  asked  for 
order  and  moved  that  Mr.  Bryan  be  al- 
lowed to  explain  his  vote. 

Mr.  Bryan  then  stated  that  the  conven- 
tion by  a  vote  of  more  than  four  to  one  had 
pledged  the  country  that  it  would  nominate 
for  the  Presidency  no  man  who  represented 

or  was  obligated  to  Morgan,  Ryan,  Belmont, 

91 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

or  "any  other  member  of  the  privilege-seek- 
ing, favor-hunting  class".  He  further  set 
forth  that  the  vote  of  the  State  of  New  York 
as  cast  under  the  unit  rule  did  not  repre- 
sent the  intelligence,  the  virtue,  the  De- 
mocracy, or  the  patriotism  of  the  ninety 
men  comprising  it,  but  that  it  represented 
the  will  of  Charles  F.  Murphy,  and  that  he 
represented  the  influences  that  dominated 
the  Republican  Convention  at  Chicago, 
and  were  trying  to  dominate  the  Democratic 
Convention.  He  further  let  it  be  known 
that  he  would  withhold  his  vote  from  Mr. 
Clark  as  long  as  New  York's  vote  was  re- 
corded for  him,  and  that  this  position  would 
be  taken  in  regard  to  any  other  candidate 
whose  name  was  now  or  might  be  later 
placed  before  the  convention,  and  that  with 
this  understanding  he  would  cast  his  vote 
for  Nebraska's  second  choice,  Woodrow 
Wilson. 

Governor  Wilson's  message  to  Mr.  Bryan 

had  "turned  the  trick". 

92 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Whereas  the  thirteenth  ballot  had  shown 
Nebraska  to  be  13  for  Clark  and  3  for 
Wilson,  on  the  fourteenth  ballot  it  registered 
4  for  Clark  and  12  for  Wilson. 

From  the  eleventh  to  the  twenty-third 
ballot  two  unruly  members  of  the  Oregon 
Delegation  had  switched  to  Clark,  although 
in  the  primaries  the  10  delegates  from  that 
State  had  been  instructed  to  vote  for  Wilson 
until  it  was  apparent  he  could  not  be 
nominated.  Judge  Will  R.  King,  Na- 
tional Committeeman  and  leader  of  the 
delegation,  got  in  touch  with  me  and  we 
wrote  letters  to  these  men,  advising  them 
to  change  their  votes  to  Wilson  or  not 
attempt  to  cross  the  border  into  Oregon^ 
On  the  twenty-fourth  ballot  Judge  King 
drove  one  of  them  to  cover,  and  on  the 
twenty-seventh  ballot  the  other  insurgent 
hoisted  the  white  flag  and  entered  the 
reservation.  Of  course  the  move  was  an 
effort  to  start  a  slide  of  the  delegation  to 

Clark,  but  Judge  King  "threw  the  sand" 

93 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

in  time  to  stop  it.  Mr.  McCombs  con- 
gratulated the  Judge,  and  he  deserved  it, 
for  he  had  had  a  hard  tussle  with  these  two 
stubborn  delegates. 

Meanwhile  Indiana  had  been  consistently 
supporting  its  "favorite  son",  Governor 
Thomas  R.  Marshall,  but  at  a  meeting  be- 
tween Mr.  Thomas  Taggart,  Chairman  of 
the  Delegation,  and  Mr.  McCombs,  it  was 
agreed  to  swap  votes  for  the  Vice-Presi- 
dential nomination  the  following  Monday 
if  Wilson  still  held  his  strength. 

On  the  last  ballot  of  the  day,  the  twenty- 
sixth,  the  vote  stood  Clark  4633^,  Wilson 
407^. 

While    the    balloting    was    in    progress 

Roger    Sullivan    called    a    caucus    of    the 

Illinois  Delegation,  and  McCombs,  Vick, 

and    myself,    who    waited    nearby,    were 

finally  informed  by  Sullivan  that  he  would 

bring  the  delegation  to  Wilson  on  the  first 

ballot  after  midnight  for  a  limited  period, 

but  in  the  meantime  A.  Mitchell  Palmer, 

94 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

who  had  not  been  advised  of  the  caucus,  had 
requested  an  adjournment  until  the  follow- 
ing Monday,  which  was  granted,  and  Mr. 
McCombs  became  frantic,  being  joined  by 
Congressman  Burleson  and  Senator  Hughes 
in  the  attack  on  Palmer.  Roger  Sullivan 
threw  his  hands  in  the  air  and  said:  "I  fear 
you  won't  be  able  to  hold  your  lines  over 
Sunday". 

The  Wilson  "rooters"  in  the  galleries  had 
been  a  source  of  torment  to  the  Clark 
aggregation,  and  it  was  moved  that  all  per- 
sons be  excluded  except  delegates,  alter- 
nates, representatives  of  the  press,  and 
officials  connected  with  the  convention. 

Mr.  Palmer  made  the  point  that  the 
resolution  was  not  in  order,  because  his 
motion  to  adjourn  was  not  debatable,  and 
he  was  sustained.  He  was  watching  like  a 
hawk  and  he  knew  his  business  well. 

To  Joseph  E.  Davies,  National  Com- 
mitteeman from  Wisconsin,   must  go  the 

credit  for  packing  the  galleries  with  Wilson 

95 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

supporters.  During  the  early  proceedings 
of  the  convention  it  had  been  ordered  that 
those  without  badges  be  not  permitted  to 
enter  the  armory.  Mr.  Davies  thereupon 
moved  that  as  the  supply  of  badges  was  in- 
adequate, orders  of  admission  signed  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  National  Committee  and 
countersigned  by  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  be 
recognized.  The  motion  was  jammed 
through,  and  Davies  feverishly  signed  thou- 
sands of  these  orders.  Soon  a  mass  of  the 
Governor's  followers  surged  through  the 
doors  and  were  assigned  to  advantageous 
positions  about  the  hall. 

At  11.55  p.  m.  the  Convention  adjourned, 
and  Mr.  McCombs,  instead  of  going  to  his 
rooms  in  the  Emerson  Hotel,  repaired  to  his 
suite  in  the  Latrobe  Apartment  with  Roger 
Sullivan,  who  in  my  presence  informed 
McCombs  that  he  would  have  to  call  an- 
other caucus  on  Sunday  or  Monday  before 
he  could  again  pledge  the  vote  of  the  Illinois 

Delegation  for  Wilson. 

96 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Let  me  in  all  fairness  and  with  all  kind- 
ness deny  the  statement  in  Mr.  McCombs' 
biography  that  he  had  any  interview  with 
Mr.  Bryan  in  the  Emerson  Hotel  that  night 
in  which  Colonel  Bryan  suggested  himself 
as  the  only  logical  candidate  and  that  Gov- 
ernor Wilson's  cause  be  deserted,  because 
he  (McCombs)  was  not  there. 

I  had  hardly  reached  my  room  when 
Mr.  McCombs  'phoned  for  me  and  I 
hurriedly  returned  to  his  apartment,  where 
I  found  him  in  deep  thought.  Presently 
he  stated: 

"Lyons,  I'm  afraid  of  a  deadlock.  If 
Sullivan  doesn't  perform  Bryan  may  again 
be  nominated." 

I  replied:  "We  must  force  Sullivan  to 
perform.  Get  the  Illinois  crowd  to  send 
messages  to  those  back  home  asking  them 
to  telegraph  their  delegates  to  break  and 
come  across  for  Wilson  before  it's  too  late." 

Mr.    McCombs    thought    the    idea    was 

passably  fair.    He  then  told  me  of  a  meet- 
7  97 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

ing  he  had  attended  the  previous  afternoon 
at  which  representatives  of  Speaker  Clark, 
Congressman  Underwood,  and  the  other 
candidates  were  present,  with  the  intention 
of  endeavoring  to  agree  upon  a  candidate; 
that  Senator  Stone  had  called  upon  him  for 
his  views,  but  that  he  had  parried  and 
thrown  the  burden  on  him.  "They  tried  to 
corner  me,"  he  said,  "but  I  wriggled  out." 
In  the  meantime  Senator  Saulsbury  had 
been  hammering  away  at  the  States  of 
Maryland,  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  and 
Kentucky,  which  on  the  last  ballot  of  the 
day  stood  12  for  Clark,  23^  for  Wilson,  13^ 
not  voting;  3  for  Clark,  9}^  for  Wilson, 
113^2  for  Underwood;  16  for  Clark;  and 
26  for  Clark,  respectively,  and  it  was  Mr. 
Saulsbury's  conviction  that  the  time  was 
ripe  to  gather  them  in,  They  were  more  or 
less  connected  in  sentiment,  but  not  one 
could  be  turned  to  the  Wilson  column  with- 
out the  concurrence  of  their  leaders,  Sen- 
ator John  Walter  Smith,  Senators  Martin 

98 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

and  Swanson,  Senator  Watson,  and  Na- 
tional Committeeman  John  C.  C.  Mayo, 
respectively.  Now,  Saulsbury  had  main- 
tained friendly  connections  with  the  Demo- 
cratic Senators  during  the  prenomination 
campaign  in  the  interest  of  Governor  Wilson 
and  knew  practically  all  of  them,  some  quite 
intimately.  In  the  case  of  Maryland  there 
was  some  family  connection  between  him 
and  Senator  Smith.  Mr.  Saulsbury  told 
McCombs  that  Senator  Smith  was  not  un- 
friendly to  Governor  Wilson,  but  his  delega- 
tion had  remained  steadfastly  with  Clark 
because  of  primary  instructions. 

Early  Sunday  morning  Mr.  Saulsbury 
visited  Senator  Smith,  hoping  to  find  that 
the  Clark  men  had  abandoned  hope  and 
Maryland  would  feel  she  was  released  from 
Clark  instructions.  It  was  then  arranged 
between  Saulsbury  and  Senator  Smith  to 
have  a  conference  that  afternoon  between 
the  representatives  of  all  four  States,  but 

Mr.  Saulsbury  recognizing  McCombs'  posi- 

99 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

tion,  arranged  that  he  also  attend  the 
meeting.  At  this  session  were  the  leaders 
of  Maryland,  West  Virginia,  and  Kentucky, 
Virginia's  representatives  sending  word  that 
they  would  remain  in  friendly  association 
with  the  other  States  I  have  mentioned. 
It  was  agreed  that  at  the  most  favorable 
opportunity  to  try  out  the  possibility  of 
nominating  Governor  Wilson,  that  the 
votes  of  these  States  would  be  transferred 
to  him. 

Sunday  night  a  caucus  of  the  Illinois 
Delegation  was  had,  and  Roger  Sullivan 
informed  Mr.  McCombs  that  he  could  make 
no  pledges  as  to  any  specific  ballot,  but  that 
the  Delegation  would  swing  to  Governor 
Wilson  at  the  first  opportunity. 

Senator  Shively  of  Indiana,  who  as- 
certained through  some  friends  on  the 
Illinois  Delegation  what  Sullivan  had  stated, 
said:  "It's  all  over." 

As  the  balloting  continued  on  July  1st, 

Tom  Taggart  abided  by  his  agreement  and 

100 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

threw  the  strength  of  29  of  the  30  votes 
of  the  Indiana  Delegation  to  Wilson,  amid 
a  roar  from  the  occupants  of  the  galleries. 

On  the  twenty-ninth  ballot,  when  the 
question  arose  as  to  how  the  votes  of 
Kansas  should  be  cast,  A.  Mitchell  Palmer, 
in  a  clear  statement,  explained  that  Wood- 
row  Wilson  had  two-thirds  of  the  vote  of 
that  delegation,  and  therefore  under  the 
unit  rule  was  entitled  to  the  whole  vote, 
further  setting  forth  that  while  Kansas 
was  entitled  to  20  votes,  she  did  not  have 
those  votes  at  the  particular  time  and  that 
13  of  the  19  delegates  present  constituted 
two-thirds  of  the  delegation  on  the  floor. 
Mr.  Palmer's  contention  was  sustained 
amid  great  applause. 

In  accordance  with  my  idea  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs  now  passed  the  word  that  telegrams 
be  sent  to  friends  throughout  Illinois  request- 
ing them  to  wire  the  delegation  to  break  from 
Clark  to  Wilson,  and  it  was  not  long  before 

the  messages  began  to  arrive  in  droves. 

101 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Very  early  the  following  morning  I  was 
summoned  to  Mr.  McCombs'  apartment, 
and  he  said: 

"Lyons,  we've  got  to  put  it  across  to-day 
or  we're  licked.    We've  got  to  have  Illinois." 

He  was  very  tired.  His  face  was  yellow 
and  drawn.  I  can  again  see  him  as  he 
worked  among  the  sweltering  delegates, 
endeavoring  to  augment  the  vote  he  and 
his  friends  had  acquired  for  Governor 
Wilson.  He  was  a  very  sick  man,  but  his 
indomitable  will  plus  the  intense  excitement 
held  him  on  his  feet. 

That  day  as  the  first  States  were  being 
called  on  the  forty-third  ballot,  McCombs 
got  to  Sullivan  and  said : 

"Roger,  we've  got  to  have  Illinois,  or  I'll 
withdraw." 

The  statement  was  not  a  weakness  on 
McCombs'  part,  but  in  the  nature  of  a  plea 
for  the  delegation. 

Sullivan  replied:  "Sit  steady,  boy,"  and 

shortly  thereafter  Roger  Sullivan  instructed 

102 


'tiJL&L/jW 


/dUAASL, 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

the  Illinois  delegates  to  switch  to  Wilson. 
One  of  the  delegates  stated:  "What  excuse 
can  we  make  to  the  folks  back  home?" 
Taking  a  handful  of  the  telegrams  which 
had  been  received  by  his  colleagues  and  self, 
Sullivan  excitedly  waved  them  on  high  and 
shouted:  "I'll  show  them  these". 

I  cannot  close  the  Roger  Sullivan  episode 
without  words  of  praise  for  Mr.  Irving 
Schuman,  of  Sullivan,  and  Mr.  Henry  Pin- 
dell,  of  Peoria,  members  of  the  Illinois  Del- 
egation, who  had  the  confidence  of  Mr. 
Sullivan  at  all  times  and  did  splendid  work 
in  the  cause. 

Senator  Saulsbury  now  saw  some  of  the 
fruits  of  his  work  on  Sunday,  as  Virginia 
swung  her  24  votes  to  Wilson,  and  West 
Virginia  followed  with  her  16  votes,  while 
on  the  forty-fifth  ballot  the  vote  of  Mary- 
land was  about  divided,  but  Kentucky 
broke  her  pledge  and  still  voted  for  Clark. 

This  avalanche  was  the  beginning  of  the 

end.     McCombs  and  Saulsbury  gave  Sen- 

103 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

ator  Smith,  of  Maryland,  and  Senator 
Watson,  of  West  Virginia,  credit  for  pro- 
ducing the  result.  While  Senator  Smith, 
unfortunately,  was  unable  to  swing  the 
entire  Maryland  Delegation,  he  was  a 
power  with  the  delegations  of  Virginia  and 
West  Virginia,  Kentucky  remaining  out  in 
the  cold  with  New  York,  but  Senator  Sauls- 
bury  was  the  moving  spirit  in  the  whole 
matter. 

On  the  forty-sixth  ballot,  Senator  Bank- 
head  withdrew  Mr.  Underwood's  name 
from  before  the  convention,  whereupon 
Senator  Stone  stated  that  he  would  release 
the  obligation  imposed  upon  any  Clark 
delegate  in  the  convention.  A  short  time 
previous  word  had  been  carried  through  the 
convention  hall  that  Speaker  Clark  had 
come  on  from  Washington  and  might  en- 
deavor to  stem  the  tide  by  personally  ap- 
pearing and  addressing  the  delegates.  What 
the  effect  of  his  presence  might  have  been 

must  remain  an  unanswered  question. 

104 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Woodrow  Wilson  received  990  votes  on 
the  last  ballot,  his  nomination  was  sub- 
sequently made  unanimous,  and  Chairman 
James  announced: 

"I  declare  Woodrow  Wilson,  of  New 
Jersey,  the  nominee  of  this  convention  for 
the  office  of  President  of  the  United  States." 

Mr.  McCombs  stood  on  the  platform  en-  \  / 
deavoring  to  contain  himself,  while  Na- 
tional Committeeman  John  T.  McGraw 
danced  about  and  then  embraced  him. 
I  stood  right  below  Mr.  McCombs.  We 
clasped  hands  and  I  congratulated  him. 
He  steadied  himself  and  looked  out  upon 
the  mass  of  coatless,  collarless,  perspiring 
delegates  as  a  General  upon  his  victorious 
forces.  Then  he  waved  to  the  occupants  of 
the  galleries,  especially  to  the  Princeton  boys 
who  were  "tearing  things  apart"  in  their  joy. 

Mr.  Tumulty  has  stated  that  Woodrow 
Wilson  was  not  nominated  and  elected  be- 
cause of,  but  in  spite  of  Wm.  F.  McCombs.  , 

How  unfair,  how  cruel! 

105 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Later  in  the  day  Charles  Bryan  called  up 
at  the  Emerson  from  the  Belvidere  Hotel 
and  stated: 

"Colonel  Bryan  would  like  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs  to  come  over  and  see  us." 

Mr.  McCombs  stood  at  my  side  and  re- 
quested I  reply  that  he  would  do  so.  He 
was  completely  worn  out  and  extremely 
irritable.  I  insisted  that  he  lie  down  for  a 
while.  He  did  not  keep  the  appointment, 
later  addressing  a  letter  of  apology  to 
Mr.  Bryan  at  Lincoln,  Neb.  He  re- 
turned to  the  convention  hall  that  evening, 
and  on  the  first  ballot  for  the  Vice-Presi- 
dential candidacy  received  the  compli- 
mentary vote  of  the  Arkansas  Delegation, 
his  native  State. 

Governor  Marshall  received  the  nomina- 
tion on  the  second  ballot.  It  had  all  been 
fixed. 

Later   I    was   hurriedly   called    to    Mr. 

McCombs'  rooms  by  Mr.  Pence  and  Mr. 

Vick,  who  informed  me  that  the  chief  was 

106 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

desperately  ill  and  that  a  physician  had 
been  sent  for.  I  immediately  telephoned 
Governor  Wilson  and  decided  to  remain 
with  Mr.  McCombs  through  the  night, 
taking  an  adjoining  room. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  July  3d,  Mr. 
McCombs,  to  my  surprise,  entered  my 
room  fully  dressed.  It  was  indeed  re- 
markable that  he  was  able  to  recuperate 
sufficiently  to  be  able  to  stand.  He  in- 
formed me  that  he  was  going  to  Sea  Girt. 
I  shall  never  forget  the  meeting  of  Governor 
Wilson  and  McCombs,  as  the  Governor, 
surrounded  by  his  friends  and  the  news- 
papermen, grasped  the  hand  of  his  Manager 
and  stated  so  affectionately: 

"My  dear  McCombs,  I  want  to  thank 
you  for  all  your  own  faithful  labors.  I 
have  been  sorely  distressed  since  Lyons 
telephoned  me  of  your  illness." 


107 


CHAPTER  III 
The  Presidential  Campaign 

ON  July  14th  Mr.  McCombs  and  my- 
self left  for  Chicago,  where  a  meeting 
of  the  National  Committee  was  to  be  held 
the  following  day  and,  in  accordance  with 
the  wishes  of  Governor  Wilson,  he  was  to 
be  elected  Chairman  of  the  Democratic 
National  Committee. 

In  the  course  of  a  conversation  in  our 
stateroom,  Mr.  McCombs  inquired  as  to 
whether  I  thought  he  would  be  strong 
enough  physically  to  last  through  the 
Presidential  campaign.  I  replied  emphati- 
cally that  I  did  not  think  so.  I  was  a  walk- 
ing dispensary.  I  carried  a  grip  containing 
various  pills  and  medicines  which  I  gave 
him  at  prescribed  intervals. 

Mr.  McCombs  said:  "I  realize  that  I  am 

very  ill.    I  believe  I  have  accomplished  all 

108 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

that  should  be  expected  of  me.  I  re- 
member the  statement  of  Mr.  Whitney, 
President  Cleveland's  manager,  that  no 
man  could  go  through  two  campaigns  and 
retain  his  health.  I  have  often  thought  of 
that." 

Almost  immediately  after  the  meeting 
convened,  Mr.  Hudspeth,  of  New  Jersey, 
nominated  Mr.  McCombs  for  the  office, 
which  was  seconded  by  Mr.  Taggart,  of 
Indiana,  and  made  unanimous  by  the 
Committee. 

After  he  had  taken  the  gavel  from  Mr. 
Norman  E.  Mack,  the  retiring  Chairman, 
and  made  a  few  pleasant  remarks,  he  stated 
that  the  next  business  would  be  the  selec- 
tion of  a  secretary,  and  Mr.  Hudspeth 
thereupon  placed  in  nomination  Mr.  Joseph 
E.  Davies,  of  Wisconsin.  The  nomination 
being  seconded  by  Mr.  John  E.  Osborne, 
of  Wyoming,  Mr.  Davies  was  duly  elected. 

Mr.    McCombs    now    moved    that    the 

Committee  proceed  to  the  completion  of  its 

109 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

organization  electing  a  Sergeant-at-Arms, 
and  Col.  John  I.  Martin  was  designated. 
I  could  not  quite  understand  why  the 
office  of  treasurer  should  have  been  omitted, 
but  presently  Mr.  Hudspeth  offered  the 
following: 

"Resolved,  That  the  Chairman  be  au- 
thorized and  empowered  to  select,  by  and 
with  the  advice  of  the  nominee  for 
President,  a  campaign  committee  to  con- 
sist of  not  less  than  nine  members,  a 
majority  of  whom  shall  be  members  of  the 
National  Committee,  said  Committee  to 
be  vested  with  full  power  to  conduct  the 
national  campaign  and  to  do  all  acts  and 
things  necessary  and  proper  to  carry  into 
effect  the  objects  of  this  resolution.  This 
committee  shall  have  power  also  to  ap- 
point a  Treasurer  of  the  National  Com- 
mittee, and  all  committees  and  other 
officers,  and  to  establish  rules  governing 
its  action.  The  Chairman  of  the  National 
Committee  shall  be  the  Chairman  of  this 
Committee." 

The  motion  was  seconded  by  Mr.  Tag- 

gart  and  unanimously  carried. 

110 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

The  following  day  we  returned  to  New 
York,  and  after  a  week  during  which  much 
unanswered  correspondence  was  taken  care 
of  and  the  subject  of  a  place  as  head- 
quarters fully  discussed,  we  went  to  Bretton 
Woods,  N.  H.,  so  that  Mr.  McCombs 
might  have  at  least  a  few  days  of  real  rest 
before  the  first  meeting  of  the  Committee 
in  the  Fifth  Avenue  Building,  on  the  29th 
of  July. 

While  we  were  lounging  about  in  the 
Mt.  Washington  Hotel,  the  following  tele- 
gram was  received  from  Governor  Wilson: 

"July  24,  1912. 
William  F.  McCombs, 
Bretton  Woods,  N.  H. 
"Would  be  very  much  obliged, if  you 
would  notify  McAdoo  at  once  that  he  is  to 
act   as   Vice-Chairman   of   the   National 
Committee.     This  is  of  the  first  conse- 
quence. W.  W." 

Mr.  McCombs  showed  me  the  telegram 

and  asked  my  opinion  in  the  matter.     I 

stated    a    message    should    be    sent    the 

111 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Governor  informing  him  that  after  the 
campaign  committee  had  been  formed,  in 
accordance  with  the  resolution  adopted  at 
Chicago,  Mr.  McAdoo's  name  would  be 
placed  before  it  and  a  statement  made  at 
the  time  that  it  was  his  (the  Governor's) 
desire  that  Mr.  McAdoo  be  appointed  as 
Vice-Chairman. 

It  was  now  almost  impossible  for  me  to 
handle  Mr.  McCombs.  He  appeared  at 
time  to  be  abnormal.  As  he  walked  away 
with  the  telegram,  I  said:  "I  suppose  you 
think  I'm  a  hell-of-a  secretary,  but  I  defy 
you  to  tell  me  I'm  not  a  mighty  good 
nurse."  I  myself  was  very  nervous,  but 
the  next  moment  was  extremely  sorry  I 
had  spoken  harshly  to  him.  He  turned, 
limped  to  my  side,  and  apologized  in  a 
way  that  brought  tears  to  my  eyes.  I 
determined  that  thereafter  I  would  never 
cross  him.    Poor,  sick  McCombs. 

Upon  our  return  to  New  York  we  wen 

to    headquarters,     where    later    the    first 

in 


r 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

meeting  of  the  Campaign  Committee  was 
called  and  at  which  Senator  James  Reed,  of 
Missouri,  was  present.  I  remember  dis- 
tinctly the  most  friendly  greeting  between 
the  Senator,  Mr.  McCombs,  and  Mr. 
McAdoo,  and  Senator  Reed's  remark:  "Now 
that  we  are  all  working  for  the  Governor, 
let  us  be  open  and  frank  with  one  another." 
Whereupon  he  presented  many  valuable 
suggestions.  The  question  of  Mr.  McAdoo's 
appointment  as  Vice-Chairman  was  not 
brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Committee 
at  this  session,  during  which  the  Directors 
of  the  various  divisions  were  designated, 
as  follows: 

Finance  Division,  Henry  Morgenthau. 

Publicity  Division,         Josephus  Daniels. 
Speakers  Division,         A.  S.  Burleson  and  Homer 

S.  Cummings. 
Organization  Division,  Senator  T.  P.  Gore. 
Foreign  Division,  Abram  I.  Elkus. 

Business  Division,  W.  W.  Vick. 

Labor  Division,  R.  S.  Hudspeth. 

Young  Men's  Division,  John  F.  DeSaulles  and  Jo- 
seph Truesdale. 
8  113 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Mr.  Morgenthau  rendered  splendid  serv- 
ice in  his  undertaking  to  raise  approximately 
$1,000,000.  Mr.  McCombs  stated  that  he 
was  an  ideal  person  to  direct  this  division, 
being  a  capitalist  with  large  financial  ex- 
perience and  excellent  business  judgment. 
(The  Publicity  Division  plastered  the 
country  with  posters,  and  in  addition  ex- 
tolled the  Democratic  candidate  in  leading 
magazines  that  reached  the  eyes  of  mil- 
lions. Further,  myriads  of  pamphlets  were 
disseminated,  and  the  campaign  text-book, 
which  had  been  edited  by  Hon.  Robert 
W.  Woolley,  later  appointed  Director  of  the 
Mint,  found  a  large  sale  and  merited  much 
praise  from  all  who  consulted  it.  Woolley 
also  attended  to  the  cartoon  service  and 
edited  the  special  articles  that  were  sent  to 
the  larger  dailies  and  Sunday  papers. 

The  Speakers  Division  reminded  one  of 

an  employment  bureau.     Spellbinders  sat 

about  ready  for  any  call  that  might  be  made 

on  them.    The  books  contained  thousands 

114 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

of  speakers,  and  they  were  kept  busy  until 
election  da^y 

At  one  of  the  Committee  meetings,  Mr. 
Hudspeth,  of  the  Labor  Bureau,  stated 
that  he  thought  it  would  be  a  very  good 
idea  to  have  some  negro  speakers.  Mr,/ 
Burleson,  of  Texas,  quickly  replied  that  he 
was  in  favor  of  the  motion,  provided  the 
Labor  Bureau  handled  them. 

Senator  Gore  perfected  the  Division  of 
Organization  to  an  extent  that  made  it 
possible  to  reach  the  personnel  of  the  small- 
est precincts,  and  he  kept  in  close  touch 
with  the  leaders  of  Wilson  associations  and 
clubs.  As  his  assistant  he  named  Mr.  W. 
D.  Jamieson,  who  had  been  a  rabid  Clark 
follower.  When  this  fact  was  brought  to 
the  Senator's  attention,  he  said:  "That's 
why  I  want  him  near  me." 

Mr.  Elkus,  in  McCombs'  opinion,  had 
the  tartar  of  all  the  divisions  because  of  the 
fact  that  during  the  prenomination  cam- 
paign the  minds  of  many  thousands  of  the 

115 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

foreign  element  had  been  poisoned  by  the 
addresses  of  Governor  Wilson's  opponents, 
together  with  the  vicious  pamphlets  that 
they  had  sent  out,  but  through  a  series  of 
splendidly  edited  booklets,  and  personal 
communications,  Mr.  Elkus  dissipated  their 
intense  indignation  and  succeeded  in  lining 
up  large  numbers  of  these  good  people  for 
the  Democratic  candidate. 

The  Director  of  the  Division  of  Business, 
Mr.  Vick,  supervised  all  plans  for  the 
installation  of  headquarters,  together  with 
the  purchasing  of  necessary  supplies,  and 
Mr.  McCombs  had  declared  that  all  items, 
both  incoming  and  outgoing,  should  bear 
the  approval  of  the  head  of  that  Division. 
Mr.  Vick's  duties  were  so  manifold  that  I 
crave  pardon  for  being  unable  to  name 
them. 

The  Young  Men's  Division  was  organ- 
ized to  enlist  the  support  of  the  first  voters, 
and  also  took  in  the  college  clubs.     Mr. 

Joseph  R.  Truesdale,  a  rising  young  New 

116 


tf~ 


Cat  ^a^yz^c^  cT^o^^  Photo  by  Clinedinst 


H 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

York  lawyer,  was  the  brains  of  the  organiza- 
tion. Mr.  John  DeSaulles,  the  co-director, 
contributed  $5,000  to  the  Presidential  cam- 
paign and  was  appointed  Minister  to  Ar- 
gentina. 

Returning  to  the  subject  of  the  first  meet- 
ing of  the  Committee,  a  recess  was  taken 
until  8  p.  m.,  and  the  body  again  called  to 
order  by  the  Chairman,  whereupon  Senator 
Reed  proposed  that  ratification  meetings  be 
held,  placing  emphasis  upon  the  necessity  of 
taking  quick  action. 

The  question  of  a  vice-chairman  of  the 
Campaign  Committee  was  now  taken  up 
and  Senator  O' Gorman  stated  that  New 
York  should  not  be  represented  so  largely, 
and  that  if  Mr.  McAdoo  were  elected  there 
should  be  a  Vice-Chairman  from  another 
locality. 

Mr.  McCombs  stated  that  in  his  opinion 

there  should  be  two  or  three  vice-chairmen 

from  various  localities. 

The  discussion  was  interrupted  by  Mr. 
117 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

McAdoo,  who  proposed  that  arrangements 
be  made  for  the  meeting  at  Sea  Girt,  N.  J., 
to  inform  Governor  Wilson  of  his  nomina- 
tion as  the  Democratic  Presidential  candi- 
date. It  was  thereupon  moved,  seconded, 
and  carried  that  Mr.  McAdoo  be  delegated 
as  a  member  of  the  campaign  committee  to 
assist  in  the  matter  of  arrangements  on  the 
day  of  notification,  but  my  minutes  do  not 
show  that  he  was  elected  Vice-Chairman 
of  the  Democratic  National  Committee  or 
of  the  Campaign  Committee. 

The  meeting  was  adjourned  until  the 
following  day,  but  I  was  not  present,  re- 
maining with  Mr.  McCombs,  who  had  a 
relapse,  and  I  am  unable  to  state  whether 
Mr.  McAdoo  at  that  time  was  elected  Vice- 
Chairman,  though  later  in  a  letter  to 
Senator  Gore,  Mr.  McCombs  stated: 

"Nobody  is  Acting  Chairman,  except 
upon  a  construction,  Mr.  McAdoo." 

Colonel   House  at  this  time  cabled  to 

Mr.  McCombs,  who  replied: 

118 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

"E.  M.  House, 

Brown,  Shipley  &  Co., 
London. 

"Am  glad  you  are  returning.    Your  as- 
sistance will  be  of  great  value." 

On  the  12th  of  August  Mr.  McCombs 
collapsed  completely  in  his  rooms  at  the 
Knickerbocker  Hotel  and  Mr.  McAdoo 
took  hold  of  the  reins  at  headquarters.  He 
called  to  see  Mr.  McCombs  and  was  most 
considerate  and  patient.  I  endeavored  to 
assist  Mr.  McAdoo  in  every  way  possible, 
presenting  to  him  the  incompleted  lists  of 
various  State  committees  and  other  matters 
that  I  thought  should  be  in  his  possession. 

When  Mr.  McCombs  was  later  removed 
to  the  home  of  his  sister,  Mrs.  Ethel 
Thomas,  at  Flushing,  L.  I.,  Mr.  McAdoo 
called  several  times,  as  did  Governor  Wil- 
son, Colonel  House,  Senator  Gore,  and 
many  other  friends. 

During  one  of  his  visits,  Governor  Wilson 

requested  that  I  keep  him  informed  as  to 

119 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Mr.  McCombs'  condition.     Within  a  short 
time  I  wrote  him,  as  follows: 

"Dear  Governor  Wilson: 

"Mr.  McCombs  has  had  two  or  three  very  bad 
spells  since  he  wrote  you.  He  is  still  in  bed  and  is 
weak.  His  doctors  do  not  give  him  any  definite 
assurances  as  to  when  he  will  be  able  to  return. 
One  says  three  weeks,  one  says  at  least  four,  and 
the  other  makes  no  definite  statement.  Mr. 
McCombs  repeatedly  expresses  anxiety  that  the 
campaign  should  not  be  held  back  in  any  way  on 
account  of  his  illness.  He  told  me  that  he  thinks 
his  return,  in  fairness  to  all,  especially  those  who 
are  waiting  to  confer  with  him,  be  regarded  as  in- 
definite. He  asks  me  to  say  he  is  doing  the  very 
best  he  can  and  to  convey  to  you  his  highest 
regards.  Yours  sincerely." 

Mr.  McCombs  then  dictated  the  follow- 
ing for  Mr.  McAdoo: 

"As  I  said  to  you  ten  days  ago,  and  as  I  have 
sent  word  to  members  of  the  Committee  and  to 
the  Governor  since  that  time,  I  expect  that  noth- 
ing be  held  up  pending  my  return,  but  that  the 
campaign  proceed  exactly  as  though  I  were  not  in 
it  at  all.  I  sketched  out  my  ideas  in  skeleton  form 
when  I  saw  you  and  am  sure,  so  far  as  they  are 
applicable,  you  are  following  them.  I  am  still 
confined  to  my  bed  and,  in  justice  to  the  campaign 

120 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

as  well  as  myself,  must  patiently  await  a  re- 
covery. Mr.  Lyons  spoke  to  me  about  your 
making  use  of  Mr.  Pence,  Mr.  Vick,  and  himself. 
Of  course,  I  expected  you  would,  as  far  as  their 
knowledge  of  the  situation  went.  I  am  sure  they 
all  are  as  much  interested  in  the  election  of  Gover- 
nor Wilson  as  you  and  I,  and  are  willing  to  do 
what  they  can.  I  think  Senator  Gore  comes  nearer 
knowing  the  personnel  of  politics  in  this  country 
and  the  dangerous  rocks  to  avoid  in  making  ap- 
pointments than  any  man  on  the  committee. 

"It  fills  me  with  sorrow  to  have  to  come  down 
at  such  a  critical  period,  and  I  can  only,  in  fairness 
to  the  cause,  say,  as  I  said  at  the  beginning,  that 
my  absence  must  positively  in  no  way  be  allowed 
to  hold  up  anything,  otherwise  I  should  be  ex- 
tremely unhappy. 

"I  am  revolving  in  my  mind  resigning  the 
Chairmanship  of  the  Campaign  Committee  if  I  do 
not  feel  decidedly  better  by  Monday.  The  fairness 
of  this  appeals  to  me  very  strongly.  All  the  above, 
of  course,  is  confidential. 

"Believe  me,  with  kindest  regards, 

"Sincerely  yours.' ' 

Mr.  Archibald  S.  White  now  prevailed 

upon  Mr.  McCombs  to  accept  the  use  of 

his  camp  at  Paul  Smith's,  in  the  Adiron- 

dacks,  and  a  private  car  was  placed  at  his 

121 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

disposal  by  Mr.  DeSaulles,  who  composed 
one  of  our  party,  the  others  being  Mrs. 
DeSaulles,  Miss  Corinne  McCombs,  Mr. 
McCombs'  nurse,  and  myself. 

After  Mr.  McCombs  had  been  made 
comfortable  at  the  camp  I  returned  to  head- 
quarters for  a  day,  and  upon  reaching  my 
office  on  August  30th  was  informed  by  Mr. 
Hollister,  an  assistant  to  the  Chairman, 
that  Mr.  McAdoo  had  stated  to  Senator 
Stone  that  he  did  not  desire  the  Chairman- 
ship, that  McCombs'  work  was  unsuited 
to  him,  and  that  he  hoped  the  Chairman 
would  be  able  to  return  within  ten  days. 

Mr.  Henry  Morgenthau  also  informed 
me  that  it  was  intended  to  cut  down  the 
force,  but  that  Mr.  McAdoo  had  stated  the 
services  of  none  of  Mr.  McCombs'  friends 
would  be  dispensed  with;  also  that  Mr. 
McAdoo  hesitated  to  take  Mr.  McCombs' 
office,  Mr.  Morgenthau  adding:  "You  could 
not  blame  him  if  he  desired  to  assume  com- 
mand." 

122 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

The  above  remarks  I  placed  in  my  diary 
under  said  date  of  August  30th,  1912,  and 
upon  my  return  to  the  camp  the  following 
day  I  read  them  to  Mr.  McCombs,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  much  gratified,  but  he  did  not 
improve  and  requested  that  I  telephone 
Colonel  House  at  Great  Barrington,  Mass., 
that  he  had  definitely  concluded  to  resign 
the  Chairmanship.  Within  a  short  time  I 
was  in  communication  with  the  Colonel, 
who  stated: 

"Tell  Mr.  McCombs  not  to  resign;  that 
his  friends  expect  him  to  hold  on,  and 
that  there  are  big  things  in  store  for  him. 
Tell  him,  if  possible,  to  come  to  the 
Adams  House,  Boston,  to-morrow.  I 
shall  be  there  and  we  can  talk  it  over." 

The  following  morning   Mr.   McCombs 

and  I  left  the  camp  hurriedly  and  were  soon 

in  Boston.    Upon  our  arrival  at  the  Adams 

House  I  looked  on  the  hotel  register,  but 

the  Colonel's  name  was  not  there.  Presently 

he  came  toward  us  and  stated  that  he  had 

not  registered  under  arrangements  at  the 

123 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

desk.  Mr.  McCombs  was  a  sorry  sight, 
yellow-skinned,  hollow-eyed  and  emaci- 
ated. He  assisted  himself  along  with  the 
aid  of  his  cane,  and  the  Colonel  held  his 
arm.  During  the  conference,  at  which  I 
was  present,  Mr.  McCombs  stated  he  was 
of  the  opinion  that  Governor  Wilson  was 
not  playing  fair  with  him,  and  had  shown 
a  coolness  which  worried  him  greatly.  Colo- 
nel House  replied  that  he  was  not  aware 
of  the  Governor's  attitude,  but  that  in  any 
event  he  stood  ready  at  all  times  to  up- 
hold him  (McCombs)  for  the  service  he 
had  rendered.  Colonel  House  had  always 
been  most  kind  to  him.  He  had  a  fatherly 
way  of  soothing  a  person  in  distress.  The 
very  atmosphere  seemed  to  breathe  comfort 
when  he  was  about. 

The  return  to  New  York  was  a  nightmare 
for  me,  Mr.  McCombs  having  become 
desperately  ill  on  the  train.  The  nurse  had 
been  left  at  the  camp.    I  was  up  most  of  the 

night  endeavoring  to  allay  his  pains. 

124 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Mr.  Samuel  Untermeyer  had  previously 
arranged  a  suite  of  rooms  for  Mr.  McCombs 
at  the  Plaza  Hotel.  He  remained  there  but 
a  short  time,  and  then  rented  the  Sedley 
Cottage  at  Larchmont,  N.  Y.,  hoping  that 
the  surroundings  would  be  of  benefit  to  him. 
Two  of  New  York's  foremost  specialists 
were  engaged  to  attend  him.  Governor 
Wilson  and  Colonel  House  called  to  confer 
with  the  stricken  man,  as  did  also  Mr. 
McAdoo. 

Later  a  banquet  was  tendered  the  Chair- 
man at  the  Hotel  Astor,  under  the  auspices 
of  a  committee  at  the  head  of  which  was 
"Big  Bill"  Edwards,  Mr.  McCombs  having 
been  treated  so  that  it  would  be  possible 
for  him  to  attend.  Governor  Wilson  was 
present,  and  during  his  address  said  that  it 
would  not  be  in  good  taste  publicly  to  state 
the  great  affection  he  had  for  McCombs, 
and  that  he  would  therefore  leave  that  part 
of  the  program  for  another  occasion. 

Mr.    McCombs    returned    to    the    Plaza 
125 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Hotel,  where  he  had  another  relapse,  and 
Dr.  Simon  Baruch  was  hurriedly  called. 
Governor  Wilson  again  visited  the  sick 
man.  I  was  at  a  loss  to  understand  why 
the  Governor  did  not  insist  upon  the  resig- 
nation of  Mr.  McCombs,  give  out  a  state- 
ment to  the  press,  and  have  Mr.  McAdoo 
see  the  campaign  through.  I  concluded,  in 
view  of  all  the  circumstances  in  the  case, 
that  Governor  Wilson  considered  the  Chair- 
man impossible  of  replacement. 

Toward  the  middle  of  October  Mr. 
McCombs  requested  that  I  call  head- 
quarters and  inform  Mr.  McAdoo  that  he 
would  be  at  his  desk  the  following  day.  Mr. 
McAdoo  escorted  the  Chairman  to  his  room 
and  saw  that  he  was  made  comfortable. 

A  conference  was  immediately  had  with 
Mr.  Rolla  Wells,  Treasurer  of  the  Com- 
mittee, and  it  was  ascertained  that  there 
was  a  dearth  of  "sinews",  whereupon  Mr. 
McCombs  immediately  set  to  work  in  an 

effort   to   replenish   the   coffers.     He   was 

126 


ti<    $     y&^*J~*<^^ 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

quite  successful,  and  should  have  great 
credit  for  himself  having  procured  a  large 
amount  of  the  contributions.  He  had  a 
smile,  a  handshake,  and  a  line  of  conversa- 
tion that  almost  always  brought  results. 

Colonel  House  called  often,  entering 
McCombs'  room  quietly  and  leaving  more 
so.  He  was  an  enigma  to  all  at  head- 
quarters. My  desk  being  close  to  that  of 
the  Chairman,  I  had  every  opportunity  of 
hearing  anything  that  passed  between  the 
two  men.  Their  conversations  invariably 
related  to  finances  with  which  to  conduct 
the  campaign  and  political  conditions  in 
the  States. 

On  election  day  Mr.  McCombs,  upon 
entering  headquarters,  stated: 

"Good  morning,  the  People  speak  to- 
day." 

He  did  not  remain  very  long,  and  on  de- 
parting said  he  would  meet  me  at  the 
Waldorf-Astoria  Hotel,  where  the  returns 

were  to  be  received. 

127 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

That  evening  we  gathered  in  the  East 
Room  of  the  hotel  and  I  noticed  that 
Senator  O'Gorman  was  graciously  assisting 
Mr.  McCombs  about,  while  Colonel  House 
sat  alone  in  one  of  the  small  off  rooms. 

As  it  became  apparent  that  Governor 
Wilson  had  been  elected  to  the  Presidency, 
Mr.  McCombs  and  I  sent  telegrams  of  con- 
gratulation to  him.  The  Chairman  then 
entered  the  room  in  which  Colonel  House 
was  seated,  and  I  followed.  They  spoke  in 
low  tones,  and  presently  Mr.  McCombs 
said: 

"If    I    cannot    be    Secretary    of    the 
Treasury,  I  will  take  nothing." 

Colonel  House  made  no  reply,  and  soon 
Mr.  McCombs  went  upstairs,  where  some 
friends  awaited  him. 


128 


CHAPTER  IV 

The  Matter  of  the  French  Ambas- 
sadorship, Etc. 

}7^ROM  the  month  of  July,  when  he  was 
.  first  stricken,  Mr.  McCombs  was  a 
changed  man.  He  seemed  suspicious  of 
every  one  in  any  way  connected  with  the 
campaign.  In  his  abnormal  condition  he 
concluded  that  Mr.  MciVdoo,  especially, 
sought  to  undermine  him,  and  when  I 
endeavored  to  quiet  him  he  responded 
in  a  manner  that  caused  me  to  gasp.  Sub- 
sequently I  collapsed  in  our  rooms  at  the 
Vanderbilt  Hotel,  but  within  a  few  weeks 
returned  to  my  desk. 

Hundreds  of  letters  had  in  the  mean- 
time been  received  from  members  of  the 
National  Committee  in  the  interest  of 
friends  whom  they  desired  should  be  con- 
sidered for  office,  and  while  they  were  being 
9  129 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

replied  to  and  a  list  prepared  for  reference, 
Mr.  McCombs  communicated  with  his 
friends  in  regard  to  his  desire  to  be  ap- 
pointed Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  a  very 
active  worker  of  the  coterie  being  Mr. 
Otto  Carmichael.  In  addition  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs called  upon  Governor  Wilson  quite 
often  at  his  home  in  Princeton  until  the 
Governor  left  for  Bermuda. 

When  the  press  announced  the  selection 
of  Mr.  McAdoo  for  the  Secretaryship  of  the 
Treasury  and  the  information  was  con- 
veyed to  Mr.  McCombs,  he  slowly  left  the 
room,  stating:  "Well,  he  has  it." 

Within  a  few  days  he  again  called  upon 
Governor  Wilson,  and  upon  returning  his 
face  was  wreathed  in  smiles  as  he  said: 

"Lyons,  the  Governor  has  promised  me 
the  patronage." 

Shortly  after  Governor  Wilson  had  been 
inaugurated  as  President  he  issued  a  state- 
ment that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to 

handle    questions    of    patronage,    and    he 

130 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

placed  them  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Secretaries  of  the  various  departments. 

Previously  Mr.  McCombs  had  also  sub- 
mitted his  first  list  of  those  whom  he  be- 
lieved to  be  deserving  of  reward,  as  follows : 

Richard  Olney,  for  Secretary  of  State. 

John  T.  McGraw,  for  Secretary  of  War. 

R.  W.  Hollister,  for  Assistant  Secretary  of  War. 

Abram  I.  Elkus,  for  Attorney  General. 

R.  L.  Henry,  for  Postmaster  General. 

Henry  Morgenthau,  for  Secretary  of  Commerce. 

Archibald  S.  White,  for  Ambassador  to  France. 

Frederic  C.  Penfield,  for  Ambassador  to  Germany 

James  W.  Gerard,  for  Ambassador  to  Italy. 

John  F.  DeSaulles,  for  Minister  to  Chile. 

John  W.  Clifton,  for  Minister  to  Switzerland. 

Wm.  Osborn,  for  Commissioner  of  Internal 
Revenue. 

General  Bibb  Graves,  for  Collector  of  Internal 
Revenue,  Alabama. 

None  of  these  recommendations  were 
followed,  excepting  that  of  Mr.  Wm.  Osborn. 

Mr.  McCombs  also  spoke  to  President 
Wilson  with  regard  to  the  appointment  of 
his  brother,  Robert  McCombs,  as  Super- 
intendent of  the  Reservation  at  Hot  Springs, 

131 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

Arkansas,  but  informed  me  that  the  Presi- 
dent had  declined  to  do  so  on  the  ground 
that  Senator  Robinson  of  that  State  might 
interpose  objections. 

On  the  afternoon  of  March  2d,  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs  and  myself  arrived  at  the  Shoreham 
Hotel  in  Washington,  having  engaged  a 
suite  of  rooms  directly  below  that  which  the 
President-elect  was  to  occupy. 

The  following  evening  the  Chairman  in- 
formed Mr.  Pence  and  myself  that  he  had 
been  tendered  the  French  Ambassadorship, 
and  stated: 

"I  cannot  take  it.  I  cannot  afford  it. 
My  law  practice  would  be  ruined.  They 
are  trying  to  send  me  to  St.  Helena  after 
all  I  have  done." 

I  begged  him  to  take  the  post,  so  did 

Tom   Pence.     After   Pence   left,   he   said: 

"Lyons,  I  am  no  quitter.     Friends  have 

worked   with   me  in   these   campaigns.     I 

must  remain  here  and  see  that  they  are 

looked  after." 

132 


^/lioreham  3(btel 

M-i  it  « ^jj~^/-rL  f-~~+~ 


IM*J  » 


V*A.  ^~^^ — ^, 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

However,  about  midnight,  after  having 

paced  about  the  room  for  over  two  hours, 

he  wrote  the  following: 

"March  3,  1913. 
"My  de\r  Governor: 

"I  have  thought  carefully  over  the 
means  of  accomplishing  the  accepting 
of  the  great  compliment  you  have  paid 
me  in  offering  to  me  the  ambassadorship 
to  France.  Happily  after  conference 
with  my  family  to-day  I  am  glad  to  say 
I  can  arrange  to  accept  the  great  honor 
you  have  offered  me.  I  shall  try  to 
fulfill  the  functions  of  the  great  office 
to  the  utmost  of  my  ability. 
"Yours  sincerely, 

W.  F.  McCombs." 

Upon  arriving  at  the  door  of  Governor 

Wilson's  suite,  I  found  that  he  had  retired 

for  the  night,  and  while  I  was  endeavoring 

to  insert  the  letter  underneath  the  door, 

Mr.  Joseph  P.  Tumulty  approached  and 

suggested  that  I  deliver  it  to  Major  Wilson, 

the  Governor's  aide,  whose  room  was  a  few 

doors  away.     This  being  accomplished,  I 

returned  to  our  room.    Mr.  McCombs  was 

133 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

walking  nervously  about,  and  presently 
stated : 

"Yes,  they  are  trying  to  send  me  to  St. 
Helena.    Lyons,  get  that  letter." 

I  returned  to  Major  Wilson's  room  and 
he  handed  me  the  communication,  which 
Mr.  McCombs  threw  in  the  waste  basket 
and  I  retained  as  a  souvenir. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  March, 
after  Mr.  McCombs  had  received  an  in- 
vitation to  take  luncheon  at  the  White 
House  with  the  President  and  Mrs.  Wilson 
at  £  o'clock  that  afternoon,  he  said  to  me: 

"Lvons,  I  am  heart-broken.  I  must  see 
the  Governor."  He  thereupon  wrote  the 
following : 

"March  4th. 
My  dear  Governor: 

"I  am  very  desirous  of  seeing  you  be- 
fore you  leave  the  hotel,  which  I  think  is 
about  ten  o'clock.    It  is  quite  important. 
"Yours  sincerely, 

"Wm.  F.  McCombs." 


134 


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THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

I  delivered  the  letter  in  person  to  Gover- 
nor Wilson,  who  wrote  at  the  bottom 
thereof: 

"Can   you    come   to    my    room    now? 
The  Committee  comes  almost  at  once. 

"W.  W." 

and  Mr.  McCombs  accordingly  went  to 
him,  but  returned  within  a  short  time  and 
we  left  the  hotel. 

A  statement  has  been  made  by  Mr. 
Tumulty  that  Mr.  McCombs'  poison  bri- 
gade gathered  at  the  Shoreham  Hotel  in 
Washington  on  the  day  of  the  inauguration 
and,  attempting  to  reform  their  broken 
lines,  sought  to  prevent  Mr.  McAdoo's 
confirmation  at  the  hands  of  the  Senate. 

Mr.  Tumulty's  statement  is  erroneous. 
The  only  persons  who  called  to  see  Mr. 
McCombs  on  the  4th  of  March  were  Post- 
master General  Burleson,  Mr.  McCombs' 
immediate  family,  Tom  Pence,  and  one  or 
two  other  friends. 

It   had   been   arranged    that   after   Mr. 
135 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

McCombs  had  broken  bread  at  the  White 
House  I  was  to  meet  him  in  the  President's 
Stand  on  the  15th  Street  side.  Senator 
Saulsbury  also  joined  us  and  we  viewed  the 
inaugural  parade. 

I  believe  the  reason  there  were  so  few 
callers  on  Mr.  McCombs  that  day  was  be- 
cause the  papers  carried  a  list  of  the 
President's  cabinet,  and  "friends"  seeing 
that  his  name  was  not  included  deserted  him 
for  the  direction  in  which  the  plums  might 
be  more  easily  procured.  But  this,  of 
course,  is  part  of  the  game  of  politics.  It 
requires  a  good  loser.  I  think  Mr.  Mc- 
Combs would  have  taken :  the  short  end 
gracefully,  had  he  not  been  desperately  ill. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Democratic  Na- 
tional Committee  in  the  Willard  Hotel  on 
March  5th,  Colonel  John  T.  McGraw, 
National  Committeeman  from  West  Vir- 
ginia, offered  the  following: 

"Resolved,  That  this  Committee  repre- 
senting the  several  States  and  Territories 
136 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

of  the  Union  tender  their  thanks  to  the 
accomplished  and  efficient  Chairman  of 
this  Committee  for  the  faithfulness  and 
earnestness  and  efficiency  with  which  he 
discharged  the  important  duties  intrusted 
to  him  by  this  Committee  at  its  Chicago 
meeting." 

The  motion  was  seconded  by  National 
Committeeman  Cato  Sells,  of  Texas,  and 
unanimously  carried. 

Mr.  McCombs  responded  in  a  few  well- 
chosen  words,  thanking  the  members  for 
their  advices  and  encouragement  during 
the  campaign,  and  adding  that  he  valued 
their  friendships  and  would  endeavor  ever 
to  retain  them. 

Late  that  afternoon  Mr.  McCombs  called 
up  the  White  House  and  I  remember  dis- 
tinctly that  he  begged  the  President  to 
issue  a  statement  to  the  press  that  he  had 
been  offered  a  cabinet  post,  but  had  de- 
clined, his  last  words  being:  "You  know 
how  I  feel,  Governor." 


137 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

The  next  day,  the  6th,  the  following  ap- 
peared in  the  Washington  Post: 

"Mr.  Wilson  made  formal  announce- 
ment yesterday  that  he  offered  an  ambas- 
sadorship to  Chairman  Wm.  F.  Mc- 
Combs  of  the  Democratic  National  Com- 
mittee,' ' 

and  further  quoted  the  President  as  follows: 

"Mr.  McCombs  told  me  he  did  not  wish 
a  cabinet  appointment.  I  have  offered 
him  one  of  the  principal  diplomatic  posts 
and  hope  he  will  accept.' ' 

And  so  the  whitewash  was  applied. 

Mr.  McCombs  returned  to  New  York  un- 
decided as  to  whether  he  should  accept  the 
French  Ambassadorship,  but  early  in  April 
he  addressed  the  following  communication 
to  the  President: 

"Since  I  saw  you  on  Saturday,  I  have  been  mak- 
ing continuous  efforts  to  dispose  of  my  affairs  so 
that  I  might  accept  your  very  flattering  offer.  I 
have  been  in  touch  with  Tumulty  from  day  to  day 
to  find  out  whether  my  delay  was  embarrassing 
you  in  any  way,  and  he  told  me  it  was  not.  Of 
course,  I  did  not  want  to  inconvenience  you. 

138 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

"As  I  have  told  you  before,  my  difficulty  in 
accepting  the  post  has  lain  in  the  adjustment  of  my 
financial  affairs  here  and  in  the  forming  of  a  con- 
nection which  would  continue,  in  some  degree,  my 
practice.  The  clientele  which  any  lawyer  has  is 
very  largely  personal  to  himself,  and  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  arrange  that  the  affairs  of  such  a 
clientele  be  handled  by  others.  This  is  the  diffi- 
culty under  which  I  have  labored. 
v  "After  intimations  to  my  clients,  I  find  my 
absence  would,  in  their  view,  be  prejudicial  to 
their  interests  and  that  they  would  each  seek 
separate  counsel.  This  would  mean  my  return  to 
New  York  without  any  clientele  whatsoever  and 
a  new  start.  After  the  statement  which  you  so 
kindly  issued,  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  might  make 
an  arrangement  under  which  my  affairs  could  be 
handled.  I  am  convinced  now  that  it  is  impossible, 
and  that  I  must  remain  here  to  maintain  myself. 
During  the  past  two  years  I  have  been  compelled 
to  neglect  my  business  to  a  very  large  extent,  and  I 
feel  that  it  is  absolutely  essential  for  me  to  recoup. 
In  view  of  the  very  great  honor  of  the  French 
post,  I  was  quite  willing  to  sacrifice  almost  any- 
thing. I  now  know  that  the  sacrifice  would  be 
complete. 

"I  was  sorry  to  see  in  the  New  York  papers  of 
yesterday  under  Washington  date  line  that  I  had 
accepted  the  embassy.  It  has  placed  me  in  a  most 
embarrassing    position,    and    has    caused    general 

139 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

comment  of  vacillation.  I  cannot  imagine  how  the 
fact  that  I  was  reconsidering  became  public.  The 
press  clippings  I  get  in  the  matter  are  most  annoy- 
ing to  me,  and  must  be  to  you.  I  suppose  the  only 
thing  to  say  in  the  matter  is  that  my  position  is 
the  same  as  it  was  when  my  statement  was  given 
out  in  Washington. 

"Let  me  again  thank  you  very  deeply  for  the 
great  honor  you  have  conferred  upon  me.  I 
sincerely  wish  it  were  within  my  power  to  accept. 
It  is  such  a  thing  as  rarely  comes  in  a  man's  lifetime. 

"Believe  me  as  ever,  ' 

Always  your  to  command, 

Wm.  F.  McCombs." 

With  regard  to  the  above  communication, 

Mr.    McCombs    had    formed    a    new    law 

partnership  under  the  name  of  McCombs, 

Ryan  and  Gordon,  but  upon  consideration 

did  not  feel  that  he  could  afford  to  leave 

them  in  charge  of  his  practice.    I  remember, 

in  particular,  that  during  the  campaigns  the 

officials  of  a  large  construction  company 

were  extremely  embarrassed  through  their 

inability  to  get  in  touch  with  him. 

With  respect  to  that  part  of  Mr.  Mc- 
140 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Combs'  letter  in  which  he  refers  to  the 
statement  which  the  President  issued,  it 
has  been  set  forth  by  me  under  date  of 
March  6th. 

As  to  the  statement  which  was  given  out 
in  Washington  by  Mr.  McCombs — the 
Chairman  set  forth  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  him  to  accept  the  post  and  that 
he  would  return  to  the  practice  of  the  law. 

About  the  middle  of  April  I  collapsed 
completely  from  the  strain  of  worry  and 
work,  and  Mr.  McCombs  insisted  that  I 
leave  New  York.  Early  in  May  I  was  in- 
formed that  the  Chairman  had  sailed  for 
France,  and  later  I  received  the  following 
at  Greenwood  Lake,  N.  J. 

"Confidential  "July  6,  1913. 

My  dear  Lyons: 

"I  am  on  Tuesday  to  have  an  operation 
for  appendicitis.  The  surgeons  say  it  has 
been  the  cause  in  the  main  of  my  illness. 
I  hope  it  will  come  out  all  right.  I  trust 
by  this  time  you  are  fully  restored.  We 
141 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

fought  a  historic  battle  and  must  expect 
to  pay  the  penalty  of  fatigue.     Rest  as 
long  as  you  like. 
"Sincerely, 

"W.  F.  McCombs." 
"7  Rue  Scribe,  Munroe  &  Co." 

I  immediately  made  preparations  to  sail 

for  France,  and  telegraphed  the  President, 

who  was  at  Cornish,  N.  H. : 

"Am  leaving  for  France  within  a  few 
days.  Have  you  any  word  to  send  Mc- 
Combs through  me?" 

The  President  replied: 

"Convey  my  affectionate  regards  to 
McCombs  and  tell  him  I  hope  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  sending  his  name  to  the 
Senate." 

It  appears  that  irrespective  of  anything 
the  President  was  determined  that  Mr. 
McCombs  accept  the  French  post. 

On  July  19th  I  joined  Mr.  McCombs  at 

Dengler's     Sanitorium     in     Baden-Baden, 

Germany,  whither  he  had  gone  from  Paris, 

which  was  an  admirable  retreat  for  both  of 

us  in  our  lamentable  condition,  from  which, 

142 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

however,  happily  I  recovered,  and  each  day 
thereafter  the  Chairman  spent  much  time 
in  sending  cables  either  to  the  White  House 
or  to  Mr.  Ryan,  his  law  partner,  with  regard 
to  the  Ambassadorship. 

Our  daily  walks  were  necessarily  short. 
The  good  folk  of  the  city  upon  learning  who 
their  distinguished  visitor  was  paid  him 
homage,  and  on  one  occasion  when  we 
entered  the  Kur  Garten  to  listen  to  the 
splendid  orchestra  the  audience  applauded 
this  man  that  the  New  York  Sun  had 
honored  with  the  sobriquet  "The  New 
Napoleon".  He  acknowledged  their  greet- 
ing with  a  weary  and  mechanical  movement 
of  his  hand. 

One  day  as  we  were  slowly  walking  toward 
the  spacious  veranda  of  the  Stephanie 
Hotel,  Mr.  McCombs  took  from  his  pocket 
the  message  I  had  brought  him  from 
President  Wilson,  and  stated: 

"Lyons,  the  President  knows  full  well 
that  I  cannot  afford  to  accept.    When  my 
143 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

term  expired  I  would  have  nothing  left  but 
a  boiled  shirt  with  a  medal  hanging  on  it, 
and  I  could  then  return  to  my  father's 
house  at  Hamburg,  Arkansas,  sit  under  a 
tree  and  think  it  over.  My  efforts  have 
been  fruitless,  Lyons.  The  President  has 
treated  me  like  a  red-headed  stepchild." 

His  words  burned  into  my  brain  like 
fire,  as  I  held  the  arm  of  McCombs,  a 
broken-down  old  man  at  about  thirty-nine 
years  of  age. 

Early  in  August  Mr.  McCombs  sent  a 
cable  to  his  law  partner,  requesting  him  to 
call  at  the  White  House  and  inform  the 
President  of  his  final  decision  not  to  accept 
the  French  Ambassadorship. 

Shortly  thereafter  it  was  necessary  for 
me  to  depart  for  home,  and  upon  reaching 
New  York  I  immediately  called  upon  Mr. 
Ryan,  who  exclaimed: 

"Did  you  ever  see  anything  like  it! 
McCombs  sent  me  four  and  five  cables  a 
day." 


144 


CHAPTER  V 
Conclusion 

WHEN  that  portion  of  Mr.  McCombs' 
memoirs  which  I  had  assisted  him 
in  compiling  was  shown  me  I  was  amazed. 
It  was  plainly  the  effort  of  a  bitterly  disap- 
pointed person.  I  was  aware  of  the  futility 
of  argument,  but  determined,  if  at  all  possi- 
ble, to  quash  the  publication.  I  both  called 
upon  and  wrote  Mr.  Tumulty  in  the  mat- 
ter several  times,  giving  him  the  gist  of  the 
book,  and  in  one  of  my  communications  de- 
clared that  the  man  who  could  prevail  upon 
McCombs  to  do  away  with  the  manu- 
script was  Hon.  T.  P.  Gore.  Mr.  McCombs 
loved  the  blind  Senator  from  Oklahoma. 
It  appears  that  my  advice  was  not  heeded. 
I  also  called  to  see  Colonel  House  in  the 
matter,  and  he,  as  usual,  received  the  news 

calmly.     The  Colonel  had  been  endeavor- 
10  145 


WILLIAM  F.  McCOMBS 

ing  to  assist  Mr.  McCombs  in  many  matters 
of  patronage.    Presently  he  stated : 

"What  a  tragedy!    He  is  making  it  im- 
possible for  me  to  help  him." 

The  Colonel  always  had  a  deep  affection 
for  Mr.  McCombs,  stood  by  him  during  the 
campaigns,  and  to  the  last  ditch  in  the  dis- 
cussions relative  to  the  personnel  of  the 
President's  cabinet. 

Let  me  also  state,  in  justice  to  Mr. 
McAdoo,  that  he  never  raised  a  finger 
against  the  unfortunate  man  at  any  time. 
He  was  kind  and  big-hearted. 

Poor  McCombs — few  seemed  to  under- 
stand his  condition,  but  let  it  never  be  for- 
gotten that  William  F.  McCombs  was 
Manager  of  the  campaign  that  resulted  in 
the  nomination  of  Governor  Wilson. 

William  F.  McCombs  was  Chairman  of 

the  Democratic  National  Committee  and 

gave  the  best  that  was  in  him  during  the 

Presidential  Campaign,  which  resulted  in 

the  election  of  Woodrow  Wilson. 

146 


THE  PRESIDENT  MAKER 

Mr.  McCombs  became  desperately  ill 
while  working  in  Governor  Wilson's  behalf. 

Woodrow  Wilson  denied  the  young  Presi- 
dent Maker  the  reward  that  he  sought  and 
hoped  for,  until  at  last  heart-broken,  sick, 
and  weary  he  found  solace  in  that  land 


Where  falls  not  hail,  or  rain,  or 

any  snow, 
Nor  ever  wind  blows  loudly,  but 

it  lies 
Deep-meadow'd,  happy,  fair  with 

orchard  lawns 
And  bowery  hollows  crown'd  with 

summer  sea. 


147 


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